


Catman

by RStrife918



Category: EXO (Band), TXT (Korea Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Adorable Kim Taehyung | V, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Cat/Human Hybrids, Cute Oh Sehun, Dog/Human Hybrids, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Hybrid Oh Sehun, Hybrid!AU, Oh Sehun & Park Chanyeol are Best Friends, Other, Romance, Roommates, Smut, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-01-16 17:38:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 35,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21275102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RStrife918/pseuds/RStrife918
Summary: Oh Sehun, a charming cat hybrid is found severely injured during a rainstorm on the doorstep of Cho Haneul's home. After saving him from certain death, they begin to live together, bridging the gap between humans and hybrids.





	1. Prelude

_It hasn't even started and you worry about the end already _

_Be troubled about "eternity" later_

_ Between a man and a woman, where is friendship? _

_We're like an eraser and a pencil _

_You're drawing a line, I'm busy erasing it _

_You're drawing a line, I'm busy erasing it _

_Do as your heart says, I know you like me too _

_Nobody loves you like me _

_I love you, need you, want you _

_Do you like me? Like I love you, need you?_


	2. 하나

He traversed through the city, his hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie as he made for the park for some time under the sun. This was another stressful day, and being outside was what took the edge off.

Life had a way of being unfair, especially to those that were like him. If society wasn't so cruel, then he would have had a chance.

"_Visuals. That's all you'll ever be._"

"_Do you think we'd allow a freak like you to become a trainee?_"

"_You have no talent. You can't even sing!_"

"_You call that dancing? Your tripping on your feet!_"

"_Stupid hybrid... as if you'd ever have a chance at becoming an artist! Not to mention you're already twenty-six... you're already too old to debut!_"

He tried to block out their harsh words and looks of scrutiny. If he were a regular human, he would have surely got in.

_If I wasn't born this way... then maybe life wouldn't be so unfair..._

Sehun sighed heavily, his brows furrowed as he entered the park, onyx eyes looking for the usual place that was his solace. At least here, no one glanced at him like he didn't belong.

The leaves swayed in the late summer breeze, a soft chill kissing his skin that signaled autumn wasn't so far away. He purred softly once the sun graced his presence, the laughter of children and the chatter of adults in his ears. He walked along the path, benches greeting him after several feet until he came across his place of comfort.

The willow tree.

Its branches hung low, offering the right amount of protection but not so much that it blocked out the sun. He pushed past the branches and stepped underneath the leaves, taking a seat against the trunk and sighing contentedly, all thoughts of the day's stress leaving him behind.

Sehun pulled out his phone, opening up his social media app to take a picture of the scenery so he could post it, and once he found the right filter, he typed a caption.

"Stress-free," He said, pressing post and watching the comments and like flow in. At least here, no one knew he was a hybrid. No one knew he was different from others.

The world has a bias toward them and no matter how much they integrated into society, there were those who hated the very existence of hybrids.

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

Chocolate brown eyes glanced at the time on her phone while she waited for her friend to return from his call. It had been about three weeks since she began recording her own songs.

For as long as she can remember, with guidance from her grandmother, the girl loved to sing and play the piano. She was able to sing a quartet at perfect pitch ever since she was two years old, and she learned to play _Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star_ when she was four. Since her childhood, she had been surrounded by music, and she wished to follow in her grandmother's footsteps and become a ballad singer.

However, society had a bias and Haneul decided to become an independent artist that wasn't tied down to any of the big talent agencies, with the help of her friend. The fear of being tied down to an agency ate away at her even though she was a human.

Chanyeol returned from his call, closing the door behind him and seating himself on the chair, "Sorry about that. My sister just got back from America. I promised to visit her tonight."

"_Gwenchana_," she assured him with a grin, putting her phone down. "If you want, we can leave the studio early. You should spend some time with her. We can always finish the rest of the album on another day."

"How about after this song then?" The silver-haired male suggested. "You featured me in this one, after all. We have to make sure it's perfect."

"Okay then," she stood up, making her way into the booth and grabbing a pair of headsets. She plugged it into a power source and got her mic read, and Chanyeol adjusted the volume of his voice.

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can," she sang out to him and he chuckled, his dimples showing when he smiled.

"Alright, I'm starting the music now. The rest is up to you. Sing whenever your part comes in," the older male said, and Haneul could hear the first notes of the song in her headphones. She held the mic, ready to sing her part after listening to his voice in her headphones.

_[Chanyeol]_  
_It's a good start_  
_I came to the quiet sea alone_  
_Making my New Year's wish_  
_Even the harsh cold that tortured me_  
_for a while has all gone away_  
_It feels good_  
_It feels good_  
_Even better than this time last year_  
_But just one thing, you're not here_  
_That's what's sad, that's all_

_[Haneul]_  
_I don't wanna open my eyes in the morning_  
_The sunlight that beats against my window_  
_The damn weather_  
_It doesn't go with my reddened heart_  
_and messy room_  
_I closed the black curtains_  
_Got my heavy body up and looked in the mirror_  
_My hair is tangled_  
_I guess I tossed and turned all night_  
_The TV keeps playing things I don't care about_  
_I was flipping through the channels_  
_then I stopped when I saw you_  
_You look good_

Her voice was angelic, complimenting the piano and soft pop music that filled her ears. Chanyeol moved his head to the beat, watching the younger woman as he sang to himself. He always knew she had talent, but he wondered why she never thought of becoming a trainee. SM Entertainment would have made her into a famous ballad singer in the coming years, but the agency had a tendency to forget its idols once new ones debuted, so maybe being an independent artist wasn't so bad.

Given the fact that Haneul composed her own songs, he couldn't imagine such talent being suppressed or even taken from her altogether. Her voice and her piano deserved to be heard and maybe, once this winter album comes out in December, the people of Seoul would know her.


	3. 둘

As the sky darkened and the evening hours settled in, Sehun decided to leave the park, walking along the city streets once again. He would have to try looking for a job tomorrow since it was getting late, but he knew the results would be the same as today. Such thoughts made him want to open a bottle of soju and drink his misery away but his high tolerance to alcohol prevented him from getting drunk most of the time.

He didn't bother to put on his hoodie since his raven hair did well to hide his ears, taking big strides as he made for his apartment building. He opened the door and walked up the stairs, grabbing his keys when he noticed the door was already open, the sound of glass breaking and objects being thrown haphazardly.

"_Yah, yah!_" Sehun shouted, running inside to find several men dressed in their uniforms, taking out every piece of furniture that resided within the small apartment. "What the hell is going on?!"

"Sehun-_sshi!_" The voice of an older man came from behind him. The raven-haired hybrid turned around to meet the short man's eyes. He was on the heavy side with glasses and greasy hair. It was his landlord. "Looks like you made it."

"What are they doing?!" He stepped into his apartment. "I never called for this!"

"I did," the landlord replied. "You see, you gotta go." He jerked a thumb backward and Sehun furrowed his brows.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm kicking you out," the man stated simply. "A man who studied in Thailand is looking for an apartment and I decided to give him this place."

"And you didn't bother to tell me?!" The younger male hissed. "Where am I going to live?!"

"On the streets, of course," the landlord shrugged with laughter. "I mean... you are an animal. This apartment was just your playground. We all know alley cats live anywhere. I doubt you would have adjusted to this place anyway."

"What are you saying?" Sehun asked. "That because I'm a hybrid, you can just kick me out?!"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," the landlord nodded, sneering as he waved a hand toward the workers. "Take everything out quickly! We need to clean this place for the new tenant!"

Sehun felt disheartened. On top of not getting into any of the big three talent agencies, he had been evicted from his apartment. Just when he thought his stress had left him, now he had no place to go. "_Aish, jinjjah..._" He exhaled, stomping toward what used to be his room. Obviously, he couldn't make room for everything he owned, so he grabbed a suitcase, stuffing some clothes into it along with his toothbrush and self-care products.

Once he was finished packing, he wheeled his suitcase out of the apartment, ignoring the farewell the landlord gave him, and he made his way down the several flights of stairs. _Is this what people mean when they say cats are bad luck? _Sehun asked himself as he pushed past the doors, greeting the cool night air once again.

He lowered his gaze as he walked down the pavement, his lips quivering and tears brimming in his eyes. If he wasn't born like this, he could have had everything, but life was cruel and unfair. He wished he was human so that no one could target him, so on one could stare at him like he was a freak for being a hybrid. He couldn't help that he was different, but humans thought otherwise.

"Can't stay in a sauna either... they'll kick me out too," he mumbled, sniffling and wiping away his tears with the back of his sleeve. Maybe he would have to live on the streets now. No one cared about him. He had no friends, no family, no one to turn to for help.

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

For the next few hours, Sehun wandered the streets of Seoul, looking for a place he could stay, secluded from the eyes of its citizens. He had come out of the convenience store, wearing his hoodie to hide his ears, holding a bottle of water and brown rice with cooked fish. He sat on the table, his suitcase set to the side, picking up his chopsticks to eat.

He looked around the street, hoping to find a deserted building to sleep in or some other place. Only as a last resort will he sleep out on the streets. He grabbed his water bottle and took a sip, laying back against the chair and stretching his long legs, staring at the pitch-black sky above.

"Guess that idiot was right," he huffed. "Cats just wander around... maybe I should get used to it..."

After finishing his food, Sehun threw the plastic into the recycling bin, grabbing his suitcase once again and walking through the deserted streets. There really was no place for him to go, and he resorted to seating himself on the upcoming bus stop. None of the buses would be active until early in the morning, so he could catch a few winks while he stayed there.

His ears flicked under his hoodie, the sound of a car pulling up near the curb making them twitch. Sehun didn't bother to look at who had arrived, but the moment the group of men threw the doors shut, he tensed slightly, becoming alert.

"_Yah_... looks like there's another one," one of the men snickered, walking slowly toward the raven-haired male, who didn't move from his spot on the table.

Sehun knew these men were trouble. He could tell from their sneering expressions, but he kept his composure, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his hoodie.

"Why are you wearing a hoodie in the summer?" The second man asked. "Got something to hide?"

He didn't answer, his lips pressed together in a tight line.

"Looks like the kid thinks he's smart," the leader chuckled darkly. "Come on, what're ya hidin' underneath that hood?" He reaches to pull it off his head, and Sehun moved away quickly, standing on his feet and glaring at the three men.

"Boss... you saw the way he moved!" The third pointed at him. "That ain't normal!"

"You're right," the large man in the middle agreed. "That ain't normal at all. He's the reflexes of a pussy... bet he is one underneath it all..."

"Hear that, pussy?" The second asked. "You got ears under that hood... you stupid freak!"

Sehun exhaled sharply, glaring at the three men, "Look... I've had a long day. I don't need this right now. If you're done degrading me, can you go?"

"_Yah! _He's getting smart with us, boss! We should teach a lesson!"

"Heh, yeah," the leader cracked his knuckles, smirking at the cat hybrid, closing the distance between them. "Let's drag him down to hell."

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

"Are you sure you don't want a ride?" Chanyeol offered as they left the studio, and he walked toward his car. "Little girls like you shouldn't be out here late at night."

"Thanks for worrying, but I'll be okay," Haneul smiled up at him. "I may be small, but I know how to fight back. You go and see Yoora _unnie_, alright?"

"Alright then," the older male chuckled and unlocked his car, opening the door to the driver's seat. "Have a good night, Neullie. Text me when you get home."

"Goodnight, _Oppa_, and I will," she waved, watching him take a seat in the car, bringing the engine to life before driving in the direction of home.

The brunette was left alone on the sidewalk, sighing softly as she began to walk, the first drops of the night's rain falling on her cheek. She grabbed her umbrella, opening it quickly and taking cover underneath it just in time, droplets pouring down hard.

Her sneakers splashed against the water, the rumbling of thunder in her ears, and Haneul exclaimed with fright, pressing a hand to her ear and trembling. She breathed heavily, her heart racing as anxiety welled up in the pit of her stomach, and she began to run.

_I'll be home soon,_ she told herself. _I can get through this... I got through it as a child, I can get through it now... _Her thoughts were interrupted by another roar of thunder, and she screamed, tears prickling at her waterline, the ringtone of her phone blared under the pouring rain.

She picked it up quickly, bringing the device to her ear and speaking on the other side, "_Y-Yeobosaeyo...?_"

"Neullie?" A kind, loving voice came from the other side. "_Gwenchana?_ I heard thunder just now. Were you frightened again?"

"_H-Halmeoni_," the girl realized, a sense of relief washing over her, but she jolted when another clap boomed through the black rain clouds, walking down the next few blocks. "_A-Ani... Gwenchana,_" she managed to smile even though her grandmother couldn't see it. "You don't have to worry about me... I'm not scared anymore."

"Ah... my Neullie is very brave, isn't she?" The woman spoke. "Get home quickly, huh? Don't get caught in the rain, and make sure to eat too. Don't sleep on an empty stomach."

"I-I will..." she assured her, quickly turning the corner until she reached her street, her house several meters away. "I gotta go, _Halmeoni_."

"Alright. Sleep tight, okay? _Saranghae!_"

"Mmhmm," Haneul nodded against her phone. "_Saranghaeyo_..." she ended the call, stuffing her phone into the pocket of her jacket, and yet again, thunder boomed in her ears. She whimpered, on the verge of sobbing as she sped toward her house, sifting through her handbag to find the keys to the front door. Once she reached the porch of her house, she sighed with relief, successful in finding her keys and ready to push them into the lock. However, she noticed something lying in the flowers.

Moving away from the door, she walked toward the flowers by the porch steps, finding a long pair of legs, with shoes covered in mud and torn jeans. Wincing again when another round of thunder rumbled, she stepped toward the side, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes.

"What is...?" She knelt before the man and tapped him gently. "Hey! Are you okay? Can you hear me?!" She asked him, turning him gently onto his back. She saw long wet black hair and feline ears of the same color, bruises on his sharp jaw and he had a split lip, some blood trickling down his temple. His hoodie was soaked through and his tail was wet. She would have realized how handsome he was if she wasn't so fixated on his injuries or the fact that he seemed to have been nearly beaten to death.

As the rain pelted against his face harshly, tired dark eyes demeanors bleary, fixated on the silhouette of the girl hovering over him.

"You have to help me, okay?" Her voice was muffled but he was able to make out enough. "Everything is going to be alright. I have to carry you."

Whoever this girl was, Sehun believed her to be his saving grace.


	4. 셋

She closed the door with her foot, their clothes and hair soaked through, leaving a puddle of water near the shoe rack. Haneul shifted so the male's weight was against her side, grunting quietly as she took her shoes off and helped him down the hall toward the living room. Setting him down gently, she exhaled and laid him on the couch cushions.

"Phew!" The girl stretched back, his weight no longer pushing down on her, and she surveyed his white skin, taking in the cuts and bruises the littered his face and body. Stepping toward the couch again, she observed the black feline ears that camouflaged with his raven hair, his slightly parted lips revealing his teeth, accompanied by small fangs. His eyelashes were long, his features sharp, and though he looked lithe, he was well-built.

_Wow... he's very handsome..._ She thought as she stood straight. "I should dry him off or he'll catch a cold..." Haneul took off her jacket, hanging it over the chair to dry as she made for the washroom to grab a towel. She even went the extra mile to find him a change of clothes. The shirts and sweats her ex had left behind would be put to good use now.

Sehun let out an exhausted sighed laced with a small groan of pain. Being inside and laying here was definitely better than lying out in the cold rain. He wasn't sure where his savior had run off to. He couldn't make out much more due to his hearing being muffled, his lack of attempting to remain conscious growing harder with each passing moment. He stared up at the ceiling hoping that whoever this girl was, she would return soon.

As he expected, the girl had returned, her silhouette only slightly blurred. It seemed she had dried her hair and changed into a large pink shirt and grey sweatpants. She held a t-shirt and pants in one hand with an extra towel in the other.

Haneul's footsteps were silent as she approached the "Catman," as she had dubbed him, placing the extra clothes to the side while seating herself at the edge of the couch. When he felt the cushions shift, he tilted his head slightly.

"I'm going to dry you off, okay?" She spoke, and he didn't move, allowing her to lean in. "I promise I won't hurt you. You can trust me..." she placed the towel over his hair, running it along his head until the black strands were damp, caring not to pull at his ears. She moved the cloth down to brush away at the droplets that littered his face.

Sehun continued to lay in the same position as she worked on drying his hair and face. Her touch was so gentle and caring. It felt light and airy on his damp hair and skin. It was a rather soothing touch, which made him slowly forget about how even breathing felt painful. He trailed his eyes up to look at her while she worked, not uttering a single word the entire time. He could start to see her clearly now. Her doe eyes were like sweet chocolate, her damp hair falling along her shoulders and framing her soft face. Her small lips were tugged into a kind smile and he could smell vanilla and apple blossoms from her.

"There," she pulled away from him once he was dry, "all better, right? Now, you'll have to do some moving again. I need to get you out of these wet clothes." She reached for the white t-shirt. "Think you can help me out again? Can I take off your hoodie?"

He sat up slowly to where he was most comfortable. "Yeah," his tone came out in a rasp due to all the screaming he'd done when he was enduring his pain.

"Okay," she nodded, reaching out toward the hem of his hoodie, helping him out of it while taking care not to cause him any more pain. Haneul heard him hiss slightly when he raised his arms, and she winced, muttering an apology. Once his hoodie was discarded, his shirt followed afterward, her eyes falling on the distended skin and angry gash that marred his torso. "Who would do such a thing...?" She wondered to herself, contemplating to call Min-Soo. _She would know how to heal him. I don't know anything about cats or Catmen for that matter... maybe I should call Bella too_...

The brunette leaned forward to help him into the t-shirt, pulling it down gingerly and he was able to push his arms through the short sleeves. Sehun was relieved not to be in cold, wet clothes, the gooseflesh on his skin long gone. "_Gamsahamnida_..." he drawled silently.

"I'm going to call my friends. One is a vet and one used to have cats," Haneul said, reaching out toward her phone, dialing the first number and walking toward the kitchen. "They should know how to help you..."

Nodding slowly, he watched her retreat to the kitchen and the male sat up, keeping mind of his injuries as he changed into the fresh pair of sweats that were folded on the coffee table. He looked around the house, her scent everywhere and spreading warmth in his insides, his ears twitching when she spoke to her friend on the other line.

"Hey, it's me..."

_Her voice is pretty..._ Sehun thought, and he couldn't help but listen in, catching the other voice that spoke to Haneul.

"Well... this is going to sound off but I found a Catman on my front porch. He's injured. Think you can fix him up?"

His ears flicked again when he heard the little nickname she'd given him. _So that's what's she's calling me. I should probably introduce myself at some point to her and thank her for her help so far._

"Oh, thank you," she breathed, a short silence ensuing when the woman on the other side spoke again. "Yeah, I'll call her too... See you in a bit."

She ended the call, turning to face him and clutching her phone to her chest. Sehun tilted his head curiosity, his eyes growing slightly bigger.

"I'm sorry about that," she chuckled as she left the kitchen to join him back in the living room. "My friend is coming over right away, and I have to call my other friend so she can help us too."

He made a sound, nodding slightly, his ears matting into his hair again. It seemed to him that there truly are people who wouldn't look at him as though he was different. This girl happened to be the first person who didn't wrong him. He had lost everything only hours ago, but now, he was safe, warm, and he was going to be taken care of. Still, he wondered why she cared about him so much.

"My name is Haneul," the girl sat down on the couch again, looking over his neutral expression. "Do you have a name?"

He raised his ears, meeting those chocolate irises but he didn't bear any uncertainty. He felt he could trust her even though a part of him believed this couldn't be real. "Sehun..." he answered, and she didn't disappear. He wasn't in the rain, he wasn't limping across the city, and he wasn't left for dead. This was real and he was going to be alright.


	5. 넷

_You, who's staring at me blankly in the mirror_

_Is not me_

_Dizzy headaches and_

_Something on my head_

_Wanna run away, wanna disappear_

_Far away_

_Save me. Who am I?_

_I don't know who I am_

_My body must have gone mad_

_There's a horn coming out of my head_

_What do I do? I don't know how to stop it_

_I'm the only bad thing in this world_

_Save me, maybe I have turned into a monster_

_Got no one but you_

_Who you?_

_Are you my salvation who found me deserted?_

_Who you?_

_Are your wings the same pain like mine?_

_There's a horn rising up on my head_

_But I love it_

_You become my crown_

_The sensation of going pit-a-pat_

_My heart is mayhem_

_But I love it_

_We have finally become perfect_

_The two of us, us, us_

_Stop the loneliness, abracadabra!_

The TV screen was lit, and the silver-haired girl watched the music festival that was on air with the brightest smile on her face. Her favorite group was performing now—a group of five hybrid boys who managed to acquire fame despite society's scrutiny toward them. She loved them very dearly, admiring the look of joy as they sang with passion, their youthful gazes shining as they had fun with the choreography. The lyrics to their song reflected the negativity they often faced but despite it all, their message told other hybrids to love themselves.

A set of Pomeranian ears flicked pleasantly, belonging to a male that was laying on the couch with his head on the girl's lap. He had boyish features with big eyes, and he too had a fondness for the group that was performing tonight.  
  


The girl's fingers glided absentmindedly through the hybrid male's soft brown locks while she watched the show. She knew if she stopped for even a moment, he's get pouty and demand for her attention. He truly was stubborn and demanding, but she couldn't help but love it.

In that moment, her phone went off, the male whined slightly, "Don't pick up the phone, please?" Taehyung begged her, turning onto his back to look up at her chestnut eyes. He scrunched his face, pretending to be on the verge of tears. "I want you to spend more time with me."

"Tae," Bella smiled gently, reaching for the phone. "It might be important. I'm sorry," she hit the green button on the lock screen and brought the phone to her ear. "_Yeobosaeyo?_"

"Bella? It's Neullie," the voice on the other said spoke softly. "Can you come over?"

"Neullie!" The girl straightened herself on the couch, a look of concern on her face. "What's wrong?! Is it the rainstorm?!"

"N-No, it's... something else," her friend stammered. "There's an injured Catman that needs help... you're the only person I know who knows everything about cats. I need your help..."

"A Catman?" Bella parroted. She has only seen cat hybrids whenever she went out. She never really talked to one before but she figured they weren't so different from regular cats. She nodded against the phone and answered. "Tae and I will come over right now." She hung up the phone and faced her pouting boyfriend, whose ears were down. "Let's get ready, Tae. We're going to Neullie's place. There's a Catman there that needs our help."

He raised his ears, his eyes going wide and his tail wagging suddenly, "Can I be friends with him?!" He had another abrupt change of mood.

"Of course you can meet him, but try and calm down a little bit. It sounds like he's been through quite a lot," She said, standing firm the couch and making her way toward the front door, grabbing their coats. She wasn't sure how much she could help, but she was willing to try anything for her friend.

"O-Okay!" Taehyung nodded vigorously and grabbed his coat, pulling the hoodie over his head to hide his ears as he followed her close behind. He didn't have many friends who were hybrids but he hoped he could warm up to this new one that had arrived on Ha-Neul's doorstep.

Bella looked back at him to make sure he was ready to go. She hated the cruelty that hybrids faces in the society, so she couldn't help but be highly cautious when the two of them went out in public.

"Do you think... the Catman was beat up by mean people?" Taehyung asked her with another pout. He hadn't come across anyone who wanted to hurt him since he usually hid his ears and tail, but he knew the discrimination was there.

"It's the only possibility I can think of," She sighed sadly, opening the door and opening her umbrella for the two of them to share. They exited the house and Bella took care to lock the door. "It makes me sick knowing people like that think it's okay to hurt others just because they're a little different. Hybrids are no different than us."

She placed the jingling keys in her bag and the two of them proceeded to walk the few blocks that led to Haneul's home. Living in the Icheon district of Seoul meant they could be close to each other and not have to worry about the bustle of the city. The suburbs made it easier to get around and the hybrids that lived here didn't have to worry much about the judgment stares of the people.

Eventually, they arrived on the street where her house resided, quickly making their way toward the porch to avoid getting soaked in the rain, and Bella knocked on the door. They waited several moments before someone fiddled with the lock on the other side, and the door opened.

Taehyung released excited yips, his arms encircling the brunette and squeezing her tightly to his chest, his tail wagging again, nuzzling her hair. "Neullie! Did you miss me?! I missed you! I missed you so much!"

"H-Hi, Tae—!" She spoke breathlessly before shifting her eyes, waving stiffly at Bella. "Hey, Bella—"

"Hi, Neullie. Sorry about him," the silver-haired girl giggled slightly, giving her friend a sympathetic smile as she stepped inside, drying off her boots in the welcome mat and putting her umbrella to the side. "He's been lying around all day so he has a lot of energy right now." She hung her coat before looking down the hallway. "Is he in the living room?"

"Y-Yeah—" Haneul successfully pulled herself out of Taehyung's grip, jerking a thumb in the direction of the living room. "He's right there but um... maybe tone down the excitement? He's been through a lot today..."

"Right, right," Taehyung giggled bashfully, rubbing the back of his head before walking into the living room.

On the couch, Sehun could heat excited yelling echoing off the walls. Whoever it was, this person was excited to see him, he gathered. He just hoped that they we are nice as Haneul and didn't have a bias against people like him. Once the brunette walked into the living room, his raised his head to look at her, noticing the silver-haired female at her side. She too had a kind face, which allowed him to relax.

Taehyung's brown eyes were on Catman, a wide smile screaming across his face as he made his way toward him quickly. "_Annyeong!_" He greeted him, jumping up from behind the couch and exclaiming. "I'm Taehyung, a Pomeranian hybrid! Wanna be friends?"

"Ah!" The raven-haired cat hybrid nearly jumped off the couch at the Pomeranian's sudden burst of energy. He placed a hand over his racing heart as he tried to calm down. _So Haneul did know other hybrids and she was friends with them_. "I—I'm Sehun, a cat hybrid. Yeah, sure, I guess we can be friends..."

"Tae, I said tone it down!" Haneul scolded him gently, her hands on her hips. The brunette huffed and smiled apologetically toward Sehun, "I'm so sorry he scared you. Pomeranians have a lot of energy, you know. Anyway, Bella is here to help me learn more about cat hybrids that way I can take care of you."

"Oh, fine..." Tae crossed his arms, turning away with his ears down, grumbling slightly.

Bella was next to walk into the room and look over Sehun. "How interesting," Bella said looking him over. She was doing her best to surprise her desire to ask him a million questions and pet him behind the ears. She had a unending love for cats.

He looked at the silver-haired female, tilting his head curiously. "Sounds like she's your hybrid expert then. I promise I won't be too much trouble for you." He said as Bella continued to study him. She found him to rather handsome and his hair and ears looks soft to the touch. The way he tilted his head to the side was rather adorable and reminded her of a curious kitten.

"Hmm, well it really can't be much different than caring for a dog hybrid except for the species difference," Bella said, concluding her observation. "Cats can have a multitude of personalities to them. It might take you a few days to figure out what you have here, but it should be pretty easy to acclimate to. Just make sure he gets attention daily and has plenty of things to do or play with because cats can be curious."

"Play..." Haneul parroted, nodding at her words. "Well, Sehun? What do you like to do? Do you like cuddles? Playing, maybe?" She wondered, wanting to learn whatever suited his interests. She would have to figure out just what he ate as well since humans and hybrids eat different foods.

"I require a lot of attention," Taehyung explained to him proudly. "I want Bella to always stay with me. I love her very much and if anyone takes her attention away from me, I get sad and pouty..."

"He's absolutely right," Bella nodded in agreement. "Just now, he was telling me not to answer the phone so I could spend more time with him. He needs constant care and love to be happy."

"Um," Sehun hummed to himself in contemplation. There were a lot of things he liked but he never really told anyone out of fear, and no one really took care of him while he was growing him. He went through his thoughts carefully before his eyes lit up, meeting the brunette's chocolate eyes. "Do you have one of those laser pointer things?" He asked. "One of these days, I'm going to catch it. I also like to lay in the sunlight and get warmed up my it's light, and I'm very cuddly. I tend to need to be holding something to sleep soundly."

"A laser pointer," Haneul held her chin, chuckling in amusement. She would have to buy one very soon, and if he happened to be very cuddly, she would be more than willing to give him cuddles. "Alright. I think that can be arranged." In that moment, she heard another knock at the door. "and that must be Min-Soo. She's here to tend to your injuries."

She walked back into the hallway, leaving the three of them in the living room for a few moments and opening the door once more, the older woman greeted her with a wave, "_Annyeong!_" Min-Soo greeted cheerfully, a smile spread across her soft face and her brown hair protected by her umbrella. In her other hand was her veterinary supplies. "I'm here for help the hybrid?"

"Please, come in," the brunette directed her inside. "He's waiting in the living room."

"Min-Soo is here!" Tae exclaimed, looking back to see if anyone else had accompanied her and to his disappointment, he whined when he didn't see his other friend with her. "Baekhyun hyung isn't here though..."

"Don't worry, Tae. I'm sure Baekhyun is doing just fine." Bella said as she gave him a comforting scratch behind his ears. "Min-Soo, take perfectly good care of him."

Baekhyun was a corgi hybrid Min-Soo had saved a few years back. He was in a similar situation as Sehun hours ago, and she had managed to save him just in time. Ever since then, the two of them have been living together. Baekhyun was known to be a mood maker, often acting mischievous and putting smiles on others' faces. He happened to be the light of her life.

Sehun looked at Min-Soo once she entered the room. "So... you heal hybrids like me?" He asked her, looking her over curiously like any cat would at a new presence within the room. "Is this something you do often?"

"I do, and I will take very good care of him," She addressed him and Bella, bowing before the Catman. "My name is Hae Min-Soo, and I'm a vet. I care for animals and hybrids, and Neullie told me you were severely injured," she set her things down and smirked toward Tae. "Baekhyun misses you as well. I'll make sure you two can hang out at some point. That little corgi is energized just like you."

Tae hummed with content from Min-Soo's words and Bella scratching behind his ear, leaning into her touch until his leg was jerking, his tail wagging again, "That makes me very happy..."

The silver-haired girl chuckled at his reaction. "I'll make sure you and Baekhyun have a play date again sometime soon. Maybe then you'll come back home and sleep the rest of the day away."

"You can trust her," The brunette assured Sehun. "It's going to hurt a bit but do you think you can handle it? I can hold your hand, if you want me to."

Sehun moved so his hands were underneath his legs, smiling sheepishly, his ears down. "I don't want to scratch any of you so I think it's best if I do this. Best not to hurt my new friends one the first day." To think there were so many people this kind to hybrids and it only took a near death experience to find them.

"Well, you're the first cat hybrid who doesn't want to claw my eyes out," Min-Soo threw her head back as she laughed, sterilizing her equipment and beginning to tend to his injuries. "I'm sorry there are humans out there who still don't like hybrids... it's not nice to beat them up because they're different. In fact, everyone is different. No one should judge if you have dark skin or even ears and a tail."

Sehun hissed slightly with his tail flicking back and forth in irritation. His nails dug into the couch cushions below him, anchoring him so he wouldn't take a swipe at Min-Soo.

"He's a Cait Sith," the veterinarian said as she proceeded to bandage him up, looking over his tail and ears. "A very rare breed of black cats. A lot of people think they're just a myth and there's the superstition that they bring bad luck but actually, Cait Sith are known to bring good luck to those around them. Make sure to keep him close, Neullie."

"Really?" He raised his brows and faced the other woman. "I'm good luck?"

"I take it you never knew what breed you are?" Bella wondered.

"No," Sehun shook his head sadly. "I just thought I was some regular black cat... my life up until now was just full of hardships so I thought I was a walking mass of bad luck..."

"I don't think you're bad luck," Haneul smiled at him. "Min-Soo, how could you tell what breed he was?"

"Cait Sith have raven-colored fur and they're known to be very beautiful cats," she answered. "You can tell by the melanin in his coat and his blessed genes," she added the last part with a laugh.

"_Gamsahamnida_," Sehun bowed when she gave him those compliments, flashing a humble smile, his eyes turning to crescents.

"And it looks like you're all set," Min-Soo confirmed and began to put her equipment away. "Just make sure not to do anything that would overexert yourself. And here," she pulled something out of her back and stood up, placing what looked to be a laser pointer in Haneul’s hand. "it's for when you want to play with him."

"I'm so happy you're all better now!" Tae leaned closer to Sehun, giggling. "If you ever wanna hang out or play with me, please let me know. I'd be more than happy to, and you're in good hands from now on. Neullie is very kind and she'll take good care of you."

"He's right. She's got such a kind soul so you have nothing to worry about." Bella looked between him and her friend. "If you ever need us, don't hesitate to call. We'll always be around."

"I'll do my best to make sure these wounds heal without problems." He promised the vet as she packed up. "Tell that corgi hybrid that he'll have another friend stopping by some time."

"_Gomawo_," Haneul said to the three of them. "I'll make sure to call you if I need anything. That's a promise."

"Have fun with the Catman," Min-Soo winked. "I'll be heading out now. Baekhyun is probably waiting for me. I don't want him to be lonely."

"We should get going too. It's getting late," Bella stood up and Taehyung did the same, glancing at the cat hybrid. "It was a pleasure meeting you. We're friends now so we'll be seeing each other more often."

"It was nice to meet you too," he nodded once.

"I'll walk you toward the door;" Haneul offered, and she followed them down the hallway, giving her friends once final farewell for the night, watching them walk onto the damp street after the rain had concluded its downpour. Once Min-Soo drove away and Bella and Taehyung were no longer in view, she closed the door, sighing quietly yet happily.

It looked like she would be having a new roommate from now on. She was going to make sure he was taken care of since he had nowhere else to go. She wanted him to call this place his home, and she would do everything in her power to keep him safe. Turning back toward the living room with Bella and Min-Soo's instructions in mind, she was going to give the Catman the attention and needs he required.

"Are you hungry?" She asked him. "You can't heal on an empty stomach after all."

"Maybe some kimchi and maybe something you like so you can eat too," Sehun looked over at her, adjusting himself slowly so he wouldn't open his wounds. "Maybe try something you think I'd like."

"Kimchi with brown rice and fish then," Haneul said, walking into the kitchen, which was separated from the living room with just a counter.

Sehun's eyes wandered wherever she walked, watching her open the fridge to gather whatever ingredients she needed to make him food. He heard the faucet run as she stood before the sink, his ears flicking again, and she turned to place everything she needed onto the counter.

He could smell the many different spices and the tang of kimchi, and in due time, she had finished making his dinner, walking back into the living room and taking a seat in the couch, placing his food and some chopsticks onto the coffee table, "Give it a try. If you don't like it, let me know so I can make you something better next time."

He looked over, the dish. The fish was cooked well and set on top of the brown rice in small pieces, and in the smaller bowl was fermented kimchi. The scent was very delicious, and he could only imagine what it tasted like. He picked up his chopsticks before picking up some kimchi and placing it on top of a piece of fish, gathering rice as well and popping it into his mouth. He chewed is slightly, his taste buds lighting up as the taste spread across his mouth. "_Masiguetta!_" He exclaimed joyfully.

Haneul was content with his praise, sighing with relief, "Phew! I'm glad you like it. I was afraid maybe it wouldn't suit your tastes. I read that cats like protein and grains so I just used the leftover fish I bought and some brown rice. My _Halmeoni_ sends me her homemade kimchi every few weeks, so that's the side dish. She makes the best kimchi."

"If I get the chance I'll have to thank her for such delicious food. She must have taught you how to cook, am I right?" He asked in between bites of food. He hadn't eaten something this good in a long time. He was nearly halfway done with everything out in front of him.

"Yes, she did," She answered, giggling a bit. "She always said the one way to man's heart is through his stomach. But... I guess it didn't work. My ex left me so..." she hugged her legs to her chest, smiling half-heartedly.

"You were dating someone before this?" Now it made sense as to why she had clothes that fit him so well. It made him wonder just how long ago they'd split up. "Well... if that guy can't see how good you, then he's a jerk. He gave up something really special."

"We split a few months ago," Haneul explained to him, resting her chin on her knees. "We met when I was in college and the two of us just hit it off one day... but he left me for another woman. He said I'm not fun—a girl that still lives in the Joseon Era, he specifically said..."

Sehun let out an irritated grumble. "What a jerk. Can't believe that's his excuse for choosing someone else over you. That's not right at all." He set his chopsticks down and folded his hands together. "It not my place to say, but he wasn't a good match for you."

"You're fine," she laughed a bit, allowing him to continue speaking his mind if he so wished. She agreed with him anyway. If she could turn back time, she would have said no to that guy in the first place. All of the good memories she once shared with him now stung every time she thought about him, but she was doing better now. She was moving on even if the pain was still there.

The Catman's ears fell flat and he pouted. "It just upsets me knowing someone hurt you."

"Aw," the brunette cooed, reaching out to touch him. She combed through his raven hair, scratching gently behind his ear. "You're such a sweetheart... you don't ever have to worry about upsetting me. We're friends now, so that means we can tell each other anything. If you ever need me, let me know and if you feel lonely, you're free to give me as many cuddles as you like. If you want to play, I have the laser pointer Min-Soo just gave me and I will use it."

Sehun purred again as she scratched behind his ear. Every little thing she did was perfect and wonderful to him. The fact that she allowed a stranger into her home was enough to make his heart melt. She was almost too good to be true. This was a moment he'd always dreamed of, finding someone who actually cared about him. "Thank you, Haneul..."

"It's no problem at all," she continuing with her pampering. "And you can call me Neullie. If my other friends can call me that, you can too." She felt she needed someone like him in her life—someone to be her anchor, to keep her calm when her world was crashing down, someone to care for. Though she hated that he was hurt no more than an hour ago, him coming to her doorstep was a blessing.

"Could we..." He began and his ears dropped in embarrassment. "Could I cuddle with you maybe? Just for a little bit. I know you have stuff to do now that you have another person living under the same roof as you." He looked at her with his pleading onyx eyes.

"Of course we can," she nodded without hesitation, opening her arms to let him come closer. "And who knows? Maybe this will help you sleep. You look like you need someone to hold onto after what happened today..."

Sehun moved forward until he was comfortably positioned with her arms. The moment she wrapped her arms around him, he felt more at peace. He nuzzled into her a bit more are his long limbs wrapped around her smaller frame. She'd been right, this was what he needed after the trauma from earlier. He was able to smell the vanilla and apple blossoms from her skin and hair now, and it put him at ease, his eye lids growing heavy as he gently weighed down on her, his face buried in her chest.

It wasn't long until he had fallen into a deep slumber. The combination of Ha-Neul's tender stroking, steady heartbeat, and relaxing scent led him down the path of sleep. This had been the most relaxed he felt in a long time.

She continued scratching behind his ear and stroking his hair, content when she heard him purring again. She could get used to this cuddling and he was very warm. He even smelled like..._ Milk?_ She thought before giggling silently, not once moving lest she woke him up. "Sleep well, my Catman..."


	6. 다섯

_~Flashback~_

_"You're going to do well out there," Haneul said as she fixed the lapels of the blonde male's suit jacket, smoothing out the material one last time before looking toward his blue eyes._

_"That's because I have you supporting me," he replied, and just as she was about to pull her hands away, he grabbed them, pulling her back to him until she was in his arms._

_The girl stammered, her cheeks growing red for a moment and she looked down with furrowed brows, her heart fluttering, "Il-sung... let go. Not in the dressing room."_

_"So what? My fans aren't going to see you," the idol chuckled, leaning down to press his forehead against her temple, nuzzling her cheek. "They can wait a while longer. Right now, I want to be with my beautiful angel."_

_"Aigoo... stop will you? Before—" she protested, endeavoring to release herself from his grasp, and once she turned her head straight, his lips were already pressed against hers, cutting her off._

_The princely male hummed with content, deepening the kiss and moving his hands away from waist, cradling her cheeks, and Haneul stood frozen, her eyes slightly wide until they started to close slowly, giving into his touch and kissing him back. She raised her arms, wrapping them around his neck. Eventually, Haneul pulled away once more, and she heard him huff in disappointment._

_"Why did you stop?" He wondered with a small laugh. "It's just a showcase... the fans will be there all day..."_

_"M Countdown has to broadcast it by six o'clock," she reminded him. "And your brothers won't be happy if you're late..."_

_"They won't be happy with me, but they'll let you off the hook," he giggled, stealing another kiss from her. "I just love you so much, you know that. That's why I don't want to leave you."_

_"I'll still be here after you're finished," she reminded him, and there was a knock on the door._

_Min-jae opened the door, a smile spreading across his face when he found the two of them together, "It's almost time. Are you ready, hyung?"_

_"I am," Il-sung nodded, managing to restrain himself and unlace his arms from around Haneul's waist. He looked down at her one last time and gave her wink. "Cheer for me and wait for me when I'm finished."_

_She chuckled, getting on her toes to pat the top of his head, "I always do..."_

_~Flashback End~_

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

Haneul opened her eyes to the sunlight that streamed through the back door made of glass. The house was silent, and she half expected someone to be in the kitchen making her coffee or breakfast, or hear the running water of the shower, but then she remembered...

She remembered he wasn't here anymore. She kicked him out... she couldn't take the pain and she chose to forget all the memories she had built with him. She forgot the life they created. She was desperate for words, and lost in a maze. She fell apart and lost her place. It hurt her terribly and she cried every night with no hope of healing.

However, last night was the first night where she hadn't cried. She was... okay.

Haneul yawned quietly, feeling a heavy weight on top of her accompanied by soft, sleepy purring. It was Sehun was sleeping on her, his head resting on her chest and his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. There was no way he could have been comfortable like this. She found he had to bend his long legs to fit on the couch and his tail was dangling off the edge.

_I should have woke him up_, she thought, running her fingers through his soft hair, catching a smile playing on his lips.

Sehun woke up not too long afterward, feeling her small fingers as they combed through his locks. His legs were aching slightly from the position he was in, his long eyelashes fluttering, _Did I... sleep on her?_ He looked up at her, smiling bashfully yet tiredly, "Good morning... sorry about trapping you on the couch with me. I can't imagine it's all the comfortable having a Catman laying on top of you... I wasn't expecting to fall asleep so quickly..."

"It's okay," the girl said, watching him shift and pull himself away, allowing her to sit up. "I should be apologizing. Instead of sleeping on the couch, I should have woke you up and made you sleep in the guest room." She looked toward the coffee table where yesterday's empty dishes still resided. She would have to wash them in a few minutes.

Her phone began to vibrate across the table as well, and Ha-Neul grabbed it to check who had been texting her. So far, there were notifications from Instagram, Twitter, and The Weather Channel, as well as a text from Chanyeol. She opened the message and read it to herself.

**Loey**

좋은 하루~ Neullie! Just wanted to check up on you. You didn't call me when you got home and Min-Soo told me what happened last night.

9:30 AM

"Who is it?" Sehun asked and she looked toward his dark eyes with a chuckle.

"It's Chanyeol. He's my good friend," she explained. "He just wanted to know if I was able to get home last night since it was pouring." The brunette texted him back, reading over her greetings before pressing send.

**Neullie**

미안 미안... I'll have to thank her later for telling you what happened.

9:31 AM

**Loey**

How is he? Is he feeling any better?

9:31 AM

**Neullie**

ㅇㅇ! Besides accidentally falling asleep on the couch, he's doing well. But he doesn't have any essentials or clothes. I'll have to buy some for him...

9:32 AM

**Loey**

Hang tight! I'm coming over with some stuff and we can take him to the mall to buy clothes.

9:32 AM

**Neullie**

오키, 쌩유~ ♡

9:33 AM

**Loey**

보고파~ ♡ ㅋㅋㅋ

9:33 AM

Haneul put her phone down and addressed the raven-haired cat hybrid once again, "He's coming over to see you. He's here to help."

"_Jinjjah?_" He furrowed his brows. "_Mianhe_... You're doing so much for me and I feel bad... I should repay you for your kindness..."

"Please don't feel bad!" She raised her hands, waving them with reassurance. "You're my friend, remember? And that makes you a friend to the others. We're all happy to help. Chanyeol oppa is a great guy, and I know the two of you will hit off immediately."

Sehun didn't know what to say. It still felt surreal to him that there were truly people out there who would help him after everything he had been through. He was starting to think Min-Soo was right. He brought some sort of good luck and maybe it was the right time for his life to change.

He bowed his head, smiling again, swallowing the lump in his throat, "_Gamsahamnida_... but I still want to repay you."

The girl sighed with defeat, grinning amusedly as she crossed her arms. She didn't expect anything grand from him. To her, even the simplest things were enough. She didn't want him to go the extra mile to make up for his trouble. Instead, she thought of something better, "Being my friend is more than enough repayment."

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

Chanyeol held the steering wheel, his foot pressing against the accelerator gently as he drove toward Haneul's place. After coming home the night before, he was greeted by his loving mother and his older sister, who had returned from her trip to America. He had a wonderful time catching up with her and spending time with his mother, but he couldn't help but worry about Ha-Neul once the rainstorm commenced.

The silver-haired male had known her ever since Baekhyun introduced them several years ago, and he truly considered her to be like his little sister. She had a gift for playing the piano and her singing captivated him, so much so that he wanted to partner up with her to produce music. He was nearly reaching thirty and every time Chanyeol looked at her, Haneul seemed to remind him of himself when he was twenty-two years old, wide-eyed and full of determination to do his best. Paired with her innocence and kindness, he felt the need to protect the girl, and he wondered for the short while if she had returned himself safely. Bella had told him the girl had a fear of thunderstorms, and the thought made him frown.

Luckily, his worries were assuaged once Min-Soo informed him of the events that transpired once Haneul got home, and the best part, there was now a Catman living with her, and he couldn't wait to meet him. He was known to have a soft spot for animals, as well as hybrids.

Chanyeol turned onto the street, pulling up near the curb and parking his car effortlessly, locking it and heading toward the house where his best friend resided. He carried the essentials he bought for the Catman in a small white bag along with a few clothes he could wear for now until they went shopping, but it was enough for the guy to get by for the next few days.

He knocked on the door, waiting patiently as he heard the quiet, airy footsteps that belonged to Haneul, and she opened the door, meeting his brown gaze, "You're here."

"I am, and I bought all this!" He raised the bag, walking inside and taking off his shoes when she made way for him to enter. "Is the Catman here?"

"Yeah," she answered, walking down the hallway toward the kitchen. "He's in the living room. Go ahead and greet him while I get you a glass of water."

Chanyeol did as he was instructed, hanging his coat on the rack and walking into the living room where he came to a halt, his mouth agape when he met the dark eyes of a very handsome male.

Sehun started back at him with big eyes, tilting his head curiously while his ears flicked, and he noticed the bag in silver-headed male's hand falling to the floor with a soft thud, the material of the shopping bag rustling.

"_Omo_," Chanyeol mumbled, stepping closer, and Sehun wasn't sure if he should run away or bear his claws. "_Omo_, _omo...!_" The older male continued, and he broke into a sprint, crying out with excitement and toppling the Catman to the floor, cooing and smiling brightly while scratching behind his ears. "Ah! What an adorable Catman you are! Yes, you are! Yes, you are!"

"Argh!" Sehun yowled helplessly, his eyes wandering toward the kitchen. "Neullie! Help me, I'm being attacked!" The more he stared at the guy, the more he wondered why he was being so overly affectionate with him. It wasn't like he hadn't seen a hybrid before, he suspected, but then again, Sehun remembered how hyper Taehyung was the night before, so maybe this friend of Haneul's was hyper in his own way.

"Oh my," Haneul had come back from the kitchen, carrying a tray with water in one hand along with a pot of tteokbokki made with rice cakes, squid, and cheese. She laughed while setting the food and drinks onto the coffee table, pulling Chanyeol off of the hybrid gently, even though he still wore that sweet grin on his face. "I'm so sorry, Sehun. He loves animals, so when he sees a hybrid, he tends to become much more affectionate."

"You didn't tell me he's so cute!" The older male exclaimed. "Look at his ears... and he has a nice face too! You should have called me last night and introduced us sooner!"

"There was a lot going on," she smiled sheepishly, stepping away from him and helping Sehun to his feet now, patting the top of his head once she got on her toes. "_Gwenchana_, Sehun?"

"Uh-huh..." he nodded, stepping behind her as though he was trying to hide, but since he was very tall and she happened to be small, his efforts were in vain.

"I'm so sorry about that," Chanyeol rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't help myself sometimes. I'm Park Chanyeol, but you can me _hyung_ from now on. Sound good?"

Sehun glanced at him once more, his hands planted on Haneul's small shoulders, "_Hyung_..." he repeated, tasting the word in his mouth. It felt a bit weird, but it wasn't bad. It felt nice, and he never had a _hyung_ before. The longer he stared at the man's smile, the quicker he realized that he too was full of love and patience, just like the girl in front of him.

He side-stepped, standing straight before bowing respectfully, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Oh Sehun. Thank you for allowing me to call you hyung."

"Ah, no worries," the silver-haired man waved a hand. "Any friend of Neullie's is a friend of mine. Thanks for taking care of her last night. Knowing she wasn't alone put me at ease."

"And thank you for being her friend," Sehun stood straight again, his eyes turning into crescents. "I'm happy to know she's been taken care of before I came here."

Haneul looked between the two men. She was glad they clicked immediately. Their looks complimented each other and they both displayed humble hearts. She had a feeling their friendship would last forever. With Chanyeol at Sehun's side, he would be able to tackle even the most difficult obstacles, and he would have someone watching his back while doing so.

Chanyeol will protect Sehun without hesitation, just like she is protecting him right now.


	7. 여섯

About two hours had passed since Chanyeol arrived. He was seated in the car again, his hands on the steering wheel with Sehun in the front passenger's seat. The older male had given the Catman all of the essentials he needed to take care of himself, though he was disheartened when he heard of the younger male's story. To be evicted from his apartment, then to be the target of violence only to have everything taken from you made him think the world was such a cruel place, especially toward hybrids.

Haneul was in the backseat, listening to the two men as they conversed with each other while she watched the streets roll by. There was a shopping mall in Icheon with every brand of clothing anyone can find and it wasn't far from her house. She was grateful she didn't have to wander all over Seoul until she arrived in Gangnam district to find clothes she couldn't afford for Sehun.

Sehun looked toward the side view mirror on his side, noticing how she seemed to be in her own thoughts as she looked out the window. "Do you both come here often?" He asked, hoping to pull her into the conversation since he felt she might had been left out.

"All the time," Chanyeol answered as made a left turn at the intersection. "Neullie and I come here to buy clothes for music videos. It's much better than to have a stylist get you ready when you can make yourself look good."

"Music video?" The raven-haired Catman tilted his head curiously. "Are you two artists?"

"We are, but we're independent," The silver-haired male grinned. "We're not tied to an agency. I have a small studio called Loey Music and we have a lot of creative freedom when it comes to our songs."

"The two of us have auditioned in several places," Haneul answered shortly afterward, her eyes still outside. "Chanyeol _oppa_ had so many business cards from SM Entertainment and I've even got calls from JYP and Cube, but I turned them down because I was afraid of losing the ability to write music and the severe bias against hybrids..."

"There have been hybrid idols who have debuted," Chanyeol finished. "but they're still very much scrutinized. The only hybrid idol group that hasn't faced any hate so far is Tomorrow X Together from Big Hit Entertainment."

"I heard about them," Sehun nodded. "I hear they're the company's biggest group and their music is helping hybrids and humans coexist—at least overseas though... no one really likes differences here in Korea..."

"Bella and Taehyung are big fans of TXT," the brunette giggled slightly. "I hear they're having a comeback soon and she's hoping to get tickets to their showcase."

"Have you auditioned or been scouted before, Sehun-_ah_?" Chanyeol wondered, his gaze still fixed on the windshield, the mall coming closer.

The younger male furrowed his brows, fisting his hands. He had been going to SM auditions time and again, but the company didn't accept him because he was a hybrid. He didn't know what he lacked. He worked hard and he loved to dance, and though his voice wasn't the strongest, he was sure he could improve with the guidance of a vocal coach. He could still hear the hateful comments he received every time he entered that talent agency.

"I have. I've auditioned for SM Entertainment for several years now," he answered, looking down at his lap. "I always thought my visuals would get me a spot as a trainee at least, but I never learned. It took me until yesterday to realize that the people there hate hybrids. They said I don't have what it takes to be an idol and that I'm a terrible singer. They also wouldn't accept me because I'm twenty-six years old now."

"Sehun," Haneul frowned, watching his ears droop, blending in with his hair.

She couldn't imagine all of the hateful comments they must have said to him. She certainly thought he had what it took to be an idol. His visuals were stunning, and he was tall with perfect proportions, and she found his voice to be very pleasant. With time, she could help him improve. She saw a lot of potential in him. The girl reached out to give his shoulder a gentle squeeze, and his ears perked, looking behind to meet her eyes.

"Don't listen to them," she said. "I think you would make a great idol."

"Yeah, I agree," Chanyeol said, turning into the parking lot. "You're very cute and you have that soft, deep voice. Neullie gave me vocal lessons and I improved a lot. I'm sure she can do the same for you." Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he glanced at the rearview mirror to look at her.

Haneul caught his bright stare just in time, "What is it?" She asked.

"I have an idea!" He exclaimed, all the while parking the car effortlessly in an empty spot. "What if he joined Loey Music?! He and I can be a duo! Seriously, his voice would sound great with mine while we harmonize."

"A duo?" The Catman inquired, confused. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I wouldn't want my terrible voice to blend with yours... I don't think I'm suited for singing..."

"Sure you are!" The older male encouraged, smiling widely. "And your voice is not _terrible! _We're a duo now, and I have the perfect name for us!"

"Oh no," Haneul mumbled, smiling sheepishly once the car's engine came to a halt, and she stepped out, gathering her bag and phone before shutting the door. Chanyeol wasn't the greatest when it came to giving titles. The last thing she wanted was for him to come with a whole list of names for the duo.

"EXO-SC!" The eldest of the three said, and the Catman and the brunette watched him silently, his smile not once fading.

"E-EXO...?" Ha-Neul parroted.

"...SC?" Sehun finished.

"Yes! EXO-SC!" The three of them began walking toward the entrance toward the mall while Chanyeol explained the concept behind the title. "We're aliens from an exoplanet, and we give happy, positive vibes—EXO! SC stands for Sehun and Chanyeol. S is first because C is raising him into becoming a shining star!"

The girl looked up at the raven-haired hybrid, wondering if he thought it was a good idea, but all he could do was respond with a shrug and a cute smile. It seemed he didn't care as long as Chanyeol was happy, and it was the first time he had received such praise.

They continued deeper into the mall, passing by the many shopping outlets from _Gucci_ to _Louis_ _Vuitton_, the chatter of humans and hybrids echoing throughout the vast building. The ceiling was high, made of a glass pane that showed off the sky, several potted plants standing near the pillars and the escalators leading toward the second floor. The mall was illuminated with gold lights as well.

They found _Palm_ _Angels_ on the second floor, known for its skater-culture apparel and accessories, and Chanyeol had a feeling it would suit their new friend well. "Let's start looking around," he said giddily, running deeper into the store, leaving Sehun and Ha-Neul behind while he shuffled through the many racks and even called for a sales associate.

"I uh... never really wore stuff like this," the Catman said to the girl. "I only ever wear hoodies and such... I bought all of my clothes online."

"I can help you if you'd like," she offered, and he stared down at her with his big eyes, giving her a silent nod. Haneul walked ahead, and he followed close behind her until she came across the men's section of the store, finding several sweaters and hoodies. She pulled out a white sweater with two black stripes lined along the sleeves, the company's logo printed small on the left side. She placed it against his chest to inspect how it would look.

Sehun watched as she scrunched her face cutely, chuckling to himself before she gave him a nod of approval, "This will look great on you. Do you want to try it on?"

"Sure... if there is a changing room here, that is," he rubbed the back of his neck bashfully.

"_Omo!_ How cute!" A voice chirped and they turned their heads, facing a saleswoman with ears that were reminiscent of a leopard's. She gave them a smile, showing off her fangs. "Are you shopping for your boyfriend?"

"B-Boyfriend?!" the brunette stammered, her cheeks growing warm as she shook her head vigorously. "That's not it at all!"

"Uh... we're not--" the Catman displayed a similar reaction and the hybrid woman yowled suggestively, taking the shirt and grabbing Sehun's arm.

"Why don't you try this on? I'll take you to the changing room and then you can show your girlfriend how it looks!"

"Sh-She's not my--!" Before he could protest, Sehun was already being pulled away, looking over his shoulder toward Haneul, who also attempted to stop her, but he was already shoved into the changing room. The door closing, leaving him to try on the shirt.

"Neullie!" Chanyeol came back with a pile of shirts, jeans, and other garments, his eyes wandering aimlessly through the store as he approached her, "Where's Sehun-_ah_?"

"In the changing room," she answered, her eyes on the chortling saleslady. "That employee pushed him in..."

"_Mwoya?_" the silver-haired male raised his brows.

On the other side of the door, Sehun puffed his cheeks and exhaled, wondering how he got into such an awkward situation. Nonetheless, his initial thought was to find the changing room, but the saleslady took the liberty of dragging him here. _She thought we're dating_, he chuckled in amusement as he carefully pulled his shirt over his head, taking care not to hurt himself since he was still injured. He slipped into the sweater Haneul had picked for him, glancing at himself in the full-length mirror, the piece of clothing fitting him perfectly. It went well with his light skin and it accentuated his black hair.

He stepped out of the changing room, finding Haneul several feet away with Chanyeol beside her, and she met his dark gaze, her lips parting slightly when she took him in. Just as she thought, the shirt fit him well, her cheeks heating again.

"_Daebak_," Chanyeol commented, taken aback. "he must be the kind of guy who can look good in anything..."

"Well?" Sehun asked as he closed the distance between himself and the brunette. "How does it look?"

She couldn't find her voice at the moment, but Haneul tried to snap out of her thoughts. She cleared her throat and grinned, her lips tugging into a pretty smile, "It suits you very well."

Her words made him swell inside. Though he knew there was a bunch of clothing with his name on it in Chanyeol's arms, the shirt he was wearing right now was his favorite because Ha-Neul chose it for him. Sehun made a note to wear it only on special occasions, thanking her as his eyes turned into crescents once again.


	8. 일곱

Chanyeol had to leave once his mother called him. Several of his relatives were coming over to his place to visit his sister, and Haneul was alright with him dropping them off a few blocks away from her house. She didn't mind walking the rest of the way, her eyes on his car as it drove off in the direction of his home, leaving her and Sehun to stand on the sidewalk with several shopping bags in their hands.

"Did you have a good time today?" Haneul asked as they began to walk, and he nodded, giving her another one of his eye smiles.

"I did. Chanyeol _hyung_ is very cool. I hope I can see him again."

"You will, most definitely," she chuckled, staring straight ahead before coming across the local café. There weren't many people inside but she figured they could stop for a moment to grab a drink. "Do you want coffee? This café has the best."

"Sure! Do they... have bubble tea?" He wondered, his eyes gleaming like a child's and the brunette giggled.

"Of course. Let's get you some bubble tea," she walked ahead and opened the door, welcoming the warmth of the café along with the smell of hot coffee and pastries. There was a set of tables by the window and a high school student managing the cash register with her schoolbooks open. She must have been studying. "Sehun, you can find us a place to sit. I'll buy us our drinks."

"Are you sure?" He frowned. "You're younger than me... you shouldn't have to pay for my drink."

"It's fine, don't worry," she assured him. "Just until you and Chanyeol _oppa_ start working together. Sound good?"

He stammered for a moment before nodding slowly, watching her smile sweetly, turning toward the counter and standing behind the couple that was placing their order. The raven-haired Catman picked a middle table by the window which caught the sunlight perfectly, and he took a seat, the warm rays making him purr.

"One bubble tea and one ice Americano, please?" He heard Haneul ask the cashier politely and she bowed, putting together those two drinks.

Sehun stared at her for a moment, her long hair falling down her shoulders and back and her doe eyes harboring a lively innocence. When the cashier came back with the two drinks, Haneul thanked her and handed her her card. After a minute, she grabbed the drinks along with two straws and a few napkins, walking toward the table where he sat.

"Here. Your bubble tea," she said, sliding it over to him when she sat across the table.

"_Gamsahamnida_," he poked the straw through the plastic and sipped his drink.

Somewhere on the other side of the café, a boyish-looking male was snacking on some ice cream, his soft features scrunching cutely as he hummed with content, the cold, sweet taste lighting up his tongue. His hair was fluffy, colored dirty blonde, his corgi ears flicking and his tail wagging. He looked around the café for a moment and he spotted Haneul by the window, seated across from a handsome cat hybrid—the one he assumed Min-Soo had told him about. She was conversing with him, and the Catman seemed to be listening with intent, taking in every word that came from her mouth.

"H-Haneullie!" the corgi hybrid breathed with excitement, his smile growing wider and he ran from his table, his half-finished ice cream cup now forgotten.

"You're right," Sehun said after he sipped his bubble tea again. "I think this is the best bubble tea I've tasted so far."

"Well, I'm glad you like it," she giggled.

"Haneullie!"

Her eyes widened slightly when she heard someone shout her name. Before she could turn to the owner of that voice, the brunette cried out. She was thrown off the chair, and the corgi hybrid hugged her tightly, laughing loudly and nuzzling her hair vigorously, his ears up and his tail wagging even faster.

The people in the café heard the commotion by the window, their gazes set on the girl and the boyish hybrid who encased her. "Neullie!" Sehun exclaimed with distress, standing from his chair, but he noticed she wasn't fighting back. Instead, she was giggling uncontrollably, attempting to push the male away gently.

"Alright, alright," she smiled, having managed to leave the male's grasp. "I'm happy to see you too."

"I missed you so much!" He threw his arms around her again.

"C-Can you let her go?" Sehun asked him worriedly, but Ha-Neul did well to assuage him.

"It's alright, Sehun. Don't worry," she patted the corgi hybrid's head. "He's just got a case of the Zoomies. It's normal."

"Normal?" He parroted, and the older male stumbled onto his feet, standing before the Catman, still wearing that excited expression.

"_Annyeonghaseyo!_" He bowed before Sehun, wearing a boxy smile. "I'm Byun Baekhyun. You must be the Catman Min-Soo told me about!"

The girl stood up, dusting off her clothes as she explained, "Baekhyun _oppa_ lives with Min-Soo, much like how you're living with me."

"Ah," the raven-haired male nodded slowly and bowed as well. "_Annyeonghaseyo_... I'm Oh Sehun..."

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" Ha-Neul asked. "Weren't you supposed to be at the clinic?"

"I wanted ice cream but Min-Soo was busy giving a dog his shots," Baekhyun said. "So I came out on my own and... I may have forgotten to tell her I was going out..." he added the last part with a sheepish laugh.

Haneul sighed heavily, crossing her arms and shaking her head in disapproval, "You know she's going to be worried about you, right? Leaving on your own without telling her is the last thing you want to do."

The doors to the café opened again, and Min-Soo entered, looking around frantically before her face contorted with anger, "_Yah,_ Baekhyun!"

"Speak of the vet," Haneul looked her way and the dirty blonde male turned abruptly, still wearing that boxy smile and cackling.

"Min-Soo-_ya!_ You found me!" Baekhyun waved, and the woman stomped toward him. "But you know, the way you called out to me right now was like you want to start a fight a fight with me."

"This isn't some joke, you know!" She scolded before her face softened and she bowed before Haneul and Sehun. "I'm so sorry about this. Thank you so much for finding him."

"It's no problem," the brunette waved a hand and Sehun rolled his eyes to the side, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans and clearing his throat.

"Actually, it was more like he found us instead," he spoke through gritted teeth, referring to how hyper the male became before, and the other woman heard him.

"I understand that you want to go out more," Min-Soo spoke gently. "but you know what happened the last time you went out. I told you that if you ever have the Zoomies, let me know and I'll take you outside."

The corgi hybrid's carefree smile began to fade, his ears going down and he pressed the tips of his index fingers together, "Min-Soo-_ya_... _Mianhe_... you were in the middle of a check-up and I didn't want to disturb you... I know you must have been worried..."

She watched him for a moment, noticing the way he began to whimper and how his demeanor changed. With a heavy sigh, she closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly, stroking his hair, and Baekhyun rested his forehead on her shoulder, "You good boy... I can never be mad at you. I know you're always thinking about me. I just don't want you to get hurt again."

"Mm-hmm," he wrapped his arms around her smaller frame, their hug growing tighter.

Haneul watched them with a smile. She always admired how close the two of them were. Come to think of it, Baekhyun's situation, in the beginning, wasn't so different from Sehun's. He too was found severely beaten and then, Min-Soo took him in and nursed him back to health. Because she loved him so much, the two of them began living together, and their relationship became something more. It was so sweet to her.

Sehun tilted his head curiously. He found it interesting how he was now seeing humans and hybrids together. Back in the busiest part of Seoul, people would have been angered by a mere glance between the two of them, but here in the suburbs, the people were kinder, more free, more open to the friendship between the two races. Society wasn't so unforgiving and it made his relieved to know he was going to be okay with Haneul at his side.

Min-Soo pulled away and held Baekhyun's hands, grinning up at him, "How about we head home? I'm finished for the day and we can watch that movie you like."

"Can we?" He asked, his eyes growing bigger, and she nodded.

"Thanks again for looking after him, Neullie," the female vet said, and the younger woman shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. He's just as much my friend as he is yours."

"It was nice meeting you, Catman," Baekhyun giggles toward Sehun, who bowed his head in acknowledgment.

"It was nice to meet you too..."

With one final wave, Haneul watched them leave, and she was alone with Sehun once again, her shoulders dropping as she faced him, smiling apologetically, "I'm sorry if you got worried. Just know that what goes on with Baekhyun is completely normal."

"I—It's fine," he stammered, his brows slightly furrowed still. She realized that he was the type to worry about certain things. She found his concern to be endearing. "Just... the way you toppled off of the chair like that made me think you got hurt."

"I'm not hurt," she giggled walking up to him and standing on her toes, patting the top of his head. "You're such a sweet thing... what am I going to do with you...?"

He purred lowly, nudging against her hand affectionately, his ears flicking and his tail swaying back and forth languidly. He thought he had heard those words before, but he didn't think much of it as he pressed into her palm. It had only been a day but he felt a sense of loyalty toward this girl. She welcomed him with open arms and made him feel safe and happy. She did so much in the span of twenty-four hours and he was willing to repay her.

"Nothing," he answered. "Just promise me you'll be careful next time when a dog or a hybrid has the Zoomies."

She pressed a hand to her mouth, laughing as she took his serious expression, but she knew he wasn't joking. She gave a nod, glancing into his onyx eyes, "I promise."


	9. 여덟

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs used in this chapter are:
> 
> Without Me by Halsey  
All About You by Taeyeon

He left the stage, listening to the shouting fangirls that waved their light sticks in the air. His heart still raced from his performance, sweat shimmering one his skin, and he brought his water bottle to his lips. He had finally tasted the success of becoming an artist, and in a matter of months, he had accumulated a large number of fans.

Ilsung had become a big sensation in America and the number of fans would only climb higher as Korea, China, Japan, and the whole world found out just who he was.

"You did great," Minjae patted his shoulder. He was slightly shorter than the blonde with brown hair and eyes, and a soft, attractive face. "What do you say we head out and celebrate the success of your first showcase?"

"I don't see why not?" He shrugged. "But first, I should call _Noona_. It's been a while since I've seen her..."

"Do you think she'll come over and celebrate with us?" The brunet furrowed his brows slightly. "She hasn't been hanging out with us lately..."

"I'm sure she'll be free today," Ilsung pulled his phone out, looking through his contacts and finding his girlfriend's number, bringing the device to his ear.

He listened to the droning beep on the other side, which went on for a while, and he suspected it would go to voice mail, but at the last minute, she picked up, "Il-sung...?" she said his name but it was at the edge of a tired breath.

"Hey, _Noona_," he sang. "I just finished my showcase and Minjae and I are going out to celebrate. How about you join us? It's been so long since I've seen you..."

He could hear her shift slightly and she sighed, "Sorry, babe... but I don't think I can make it again..."

The blonde's smile faded slowly when she said that. Those were the words he dreaded most. This wasn't the second or third time she had said this. In fact, she spoke these words constantly. "Why?" He asked, keeping his calm and asking in a worried tone. "Are you feeling sick again?" He knew she wasn't sick. That was just an excuse.

"Mmm, yeah," she replied. "Been sleeping all day... I'll come and support you next time, I promise."

That was a lie—an empty promise she always made but never kept. "That's fine," he mustered you the courage to smile even though she didn't see it. "Get better soon. _Saranghae_."

"_Saranghae_," she answered and the call came to an end.

Ilsung put his phone to his side, his eyes glazed over and his spirit shattered. "Why do I even try anymore...?" He wondered.

"I'm sorry, _hyung_," Minjae could tell right away that she wasn't coming. He had already given up hope on her spending time with his friend. "How about we go drinking?" He suggested. "It'll take the edge off... there's a nice bar in downtown."

The blonde gave a dejected nod, following the younger male. "Yeah... that sounds good..."

Ever since he moved back to Los Angeles to pursue his career in show business, Ilsung had been the happiest person, and it was all because of Jiah. He had met the older woman in Korea and she saw so much potential in him, suggesting he come back to America to kick start his career. She worked under the American branch of SM Entertainment, and she was there for him every step of that way. Eventually, the two of them began to develop feelings for each other, and Il-sung got high off of her very existence. He loved the thrill she provided, her outgoing personality, and her life was set. He came back just for her and their relationship was the best he has ever had.

But now, he wondered if it truly was the best. Ever since he became a singer, she had been seeing him less frequently and she made excuses not to come by and support him. He thought it must have been because the fangirls would become jealous, but with each showcase, each recording session, each fan signing event, her presence all but disappeared.

_Was it a mistake?_ He thought as he pushed through the doors and stepped out into the warm air of LA. He missed having someone support him. He missed hearing genuine praise for his hard work. He missed _her_.

_She_ would have dropped everything in a heartbeat to support him. _She_ would have celebrated with him.

Haneul would have stayed even after he achieved success as a soloist, just like she did when he was a part of Cardinal Love.

But it wasn't easy. He hurt her. He left her to be with Jiah. He snuck out in the middle of the night just to see the other woman. He cheated, and cheated, and cheated until he came home to Haneul finding all of his pictures with Ji-ah on the woman's Instagram page. She cried, she was lost, she fell apart, and she kicked him out of her life.

_"So you played me...? Because I look innocent and naïve?!"_

_"Angel, please just listen—"_

_"Everything we've been through, every memory we built, every song we wrote, every promise—that was all a lie?!"_

_"It wasn't a lie!"_

_"Then what was it?!"_

_"The thrill isn't there with you! You're a girl from the Joseon era! Think of my image when people see us together! Il-sung with a girl who should have been born two hundred years ago! Imagine all the gossip people will stir up! With Jiah, I don't look like a laughingstock!"_

He wanted to take back what he said that night. He wondered what life would be like if he didn't let his ambition get the best of him. He would have still lived in Korea with Haneul and he would have had just as much success with her support. He didn't know what he had until now and he wanted things to return to normal.

_~Flashback~_

_Found you when your heart was broke_  
_I filled your cup until it overflowed_  
_Took it so far to keep you close_  
_I was afraid to leave you on your own_

_I said I'd catch you if you fall_  
_And if they laugh, then fuck 'em all_  
_And then I got you off your knees_  
_Put you right back on your feet_  
_Just so you can take advantage of me_

_Tell me how's it feel sittin' up there_  
_Feeling so high but too far away to hold me_  
_You know I'm the one who put you up there_  
_Name in the sky_  
_Does it ever get lonely?_

_Thinking you could live without me_  
_Thinking you could live without me_  
_Baby, I'm the one who put you up there_  
_I don't know why_

_Thinking you could live without me_  
_Live without me_  
_Baby, I'm the one who put you up there_  
_I don't know why_

_"I wonder..." Ilsung said from his place on the table, reaching out to pull her hair away from her face, tucking the strand behind her ear. He couldn't help but marvel in awe. Her rosy cheeks, her soft chocolate eyes that were reading her grandmother's texts, and that pretty smile--Haneul possessed an innocent beauty and it often led him to stare at her for hours on end. He adored this part of her. "...what if we were born in a different world? One where I'm a prince and you're a fair maiden? Would you have fallen for me as you did now...?"_

_She chuckled slightly, shaking her head, "What is that?" Haneul looked up from her phone and met his blue gaze. "Your imagination is wandering again."_

_"Is that such a bad thing?" He wondered, balancing his chin on his palm. "I just wonder what our life would have been like in that kind of world..."_

_"Fairy tales don't exist, Ilsung," she said gently, grabbing her bubble tea and taking a small sip._

_"I think they do," the blonde counter, smirking now. "A fair maiden who lives to provide for her grandmother, and one day, she runs into me, the prince, and I want to learn every little thing about her," his eyes turned half-lidded as he continued to daydream. "We share a dance during a magical ball and fall in love, I serenade you while we meet each other in the middle of the night away from prying eyes, I vanquish a dragon that tries to take you from me, and then we get married, and you wear a beautiful gown that makes you look like a goddess..."_

_"A dragon?" Haneul cocked an eyebrow. "You know I don't need saving... especially if the dragon happens to be kind and gentle."_

_"You always see the good in everything," he spoke amusedly, caressing her cheek now, not once averting his eyes from her own. "But that's something I love about you..."_

_~Flashback End~_

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

Sehun laid on the couch, his eyes closed as the evening sunlight brushed over him, making him purr. He opened his eyes to find Haneul was on the phone.

"Yes, two tickets to LA," she said. "For two weeks. Yes, from September 3rd to the 17th. Thank you so much." She pulled her phone away from her ear, and Sehun sat up slowly.

"What was that about?" He tilted his head curiously.

"We're going to the States next month," she explained. "I have to film a music video and Chanyeol _oppa_ is doing the same. Now that you're a duo, he's fixing up the line distribution and the two of you will be filming together."

"_Jinjjah?_" She crosses his legs, his hands resting in his lap. "Will it be okay?"

"Of course," she walked toward the couch and took a seat with him. "Bella and Taehyung are tagging along with us too, and so are Baekhyun and Minsoo. Think of it as a vacation."

In truth, Sehun had never traveled out of Korea. The thought of going to the States, and Los Angeles for that matter, made him excited, but there was still that doubt in his mind, "But... will it be okay there? Won't people look at me weirdly? And if I'm in Chanyeol _hyung's_ music video, he won't get many views..."

"It'll be fine. Please don't be disheartened," she reached out to squeeze his hand with assurance. "You'll find not many people care about looks there because there are so many different races and hybrids, and there are hybrids who become successful artists. You'll be one too."

"You really think so?" He perked up slightly.

"I know so, and I'll be there with you every step of the way. You'll have tons of fun," she pulled her hand away, and Sehun felt a bit sad that she wasn't touching him anymore. She left his hand tingling and it was very pleasant.

"I really want to hear you sing," the raven-haired Catman said. "I bet you have a very pretty voice..."

The brunette made a confused sound, her eyes wide and doe-like when she heard him say those words. She didn't think her voice was that great. If anything, she wasn't as skilled as the other artists in the industry. Sure she gave Chanyeol vocal lessons and her grandmother sang beautifully, but her voice was average at best. "You want to hear me sing? I don't think my voice is pretty..."

"But I think it is," Sehun smiles brightly at her, his eyes turning to crescents. "Even when you're speaking right now, your voice sounds really nice. It's very soothing. Come on, sing one song for me? Please?"

She wasn't sure if she could. All of the songs she wrote for the last several months have been rather sad. She didn't want him to hear her singing about her broken heart. The last thing she wanted was to worry about him. "Are you sure? All of my songs are... sad..."

"I'm positive," Sehun replied. "And I don't care if they're sad, as long as I can hear you sing..."

She exhaled with a half-hearted chuckle towards the end, "Alright... I'll sing you one song..." she began to think of something that wasn't so sad, maybe slightly melancholy, but the feelings weren't about heartbreak. She found one that she thought would be best suited for him to listen to, and she closed her eyes, relaxing her shoulders as she heard her piano in her thoughts, counting the beat and she sang.

_[Haneul]_  
_Since when I saw you_  
_Did you feel it was fate?_  
_Like the stars in the night sky were shining_  
_You've been around for a long time_  
_Every time I think of a poem called 'you'_  
_I want to memorize it so I can remember you_  
_When the sad night comes, I'll protect you_  
_Can you hear my heart?_  
_Don't forget_

_In the passing season, my heart_  
_I know it doesn't change_  
_Just the way you look at me_  
_I think you have the whole world_  
_Every time I think of a poem called 'you'_  
_I want to memorize it so I can remember you_  
_When the sad night comes, I'll protect you_  
_Can you hear my heart?_  
_Don't forget_

_Even when the day comes when the flowers bloom and fall_  
_Just remember about this one_  
_My heart to you_  
_Someday we'll be_  
_It may be a long way off_  
_I could wait if I were you_  
_I'll be standing here in time_  
_Don't be hesitant_  
_When that time comes_

Sehun's ears remained fixed in place, pointing at her while she sang the lyrics. It was sad indeed, confirming it had to so with her breakup not too long ago. He could feel every emotion she put forth into it even though her voice remained soft. The sadness, the pain, the heartache—she went through so much all because that man thought she wasn't good enough. He realized how much he had given up and lost because she was selfish. This girl was perfect in every way.

If he thought her voice was pretty when she merely talked to him, it took his breath away when she sang. He could only imagine how much more beautiful it will be when she thought of writing happier songs again.

Haneul finished singing, exhaling again, and leaning back against the couch. "What do you think?" She asked, meeting his onyx eyes. "Did you like it?"

The older male nodded, "I did. And I was right... your voice is very pretty..."

"Really?" She could feel a lump forming in her throat, her eyes beginning to water and her lips quivering slightly. She turned away, sniffling and wiping her tears with the heels of her hands. "Oh gosh... why am I crying?" She laughed sheepishly. "How stupid of me..."

The Catman watched her, his ears falling at the sight of her distress. He moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her to his chest, hoping this gesture would give her comfort. He hoped his embrace would shield her from the past. "It's okay to cry... I cried too—many times, in fact. I thought I was going to die alone and unloved..."

Her shoulders trembled as she soaked his shirt with her tears. She truly thought there was something wrong with her because Il-sung had left her. Still, she didn't want him back. It was exhausting having to think about him but there were times where she wondered what Jiah had that she didn't.

Sehun's grip on her tightened, nuzzling her to give her comfort, guilt seeping under his skin from asking her to sing. He didn't want her to ever be plagued by those terrible memories. He wanted to make sure she would smile whenever she was with him. When she was finished crying, he let go of her, gazing at her as she wiped away the last of her tears.

She sighed shakily, lifting her head to find he was saddened as well, and Haneul reached out to stroke his hair, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to worry you. Please don't feel bad. After all, I wanted to sing for you. How about from now on, I write happier songs? Then I can sing those to you?"

The thought made him feel better, his expression gentle. He would love to hear her sing happier songs, and he was going to make new memories with her. He wanted to make her feel loved and let her know he cared. That she was more than enough. "I'd like that very much. But no matter what, I'll be here to comfort you whenever you need me."

She chuckled at his sweet words, scratching behind his ears and listening to him purr. She leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, flashing him another smile, "Thank you for making me feel better. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Sehun's heart skipped a beat after she gave him that little peck on his face. For a moment, his purring had become deeper only to return to normal. "It's no problem at all... you're prettier when you smile."


	10. 아홉

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs used in this chapter are:
> 
> Cat & Dog by TXT  
Black Hole by HANA

A month had passed since Haneul and Sehun had begun living together. The two of them had gotten much closer, their friendship blossoming with each passing moment. Oftentimes, Sehun would help her around the house and even accompany her to run errands. They even went to Chanyeol's music studio to produce the album the had been working on. In a few weeks' time, they would be going to Los Angeles to film the music video for their title song _What a life._

On this particular day, the brunette was in her room, wearing a black shirt and jeans, applying a touch of makeup before slipping into her coat and stepping out. She double-checked her bag to make sure her tickets and phone were inside, and Sehun was waiting in the living room, wearing a green bottom down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and jeans, a cap on his head to hide his ears and his coat long tucked on his arm, which would hide his tail.

"You ready to go?" Haneul asked as she slung the long strap of her bag over her shoulder.

"I am," he smiled down at her. "You look very pretty today."

She chuckled sheepishly at his compliment, "Thank you..." she muttered as she led him toward the front door. "We're lucky Tae managed to snag these tickets just in time. You'll love their showcase and they're holding a fansign afterward."

"The hybrid boy group we spoke of a while back, right?" Sehun asked as he slipped on his shoes and his coat.

"Yes," the girl answered. They stepped out of the house and she locked the door, facing her car and unlocking it. Once she sat in the driver's seat, she put on her seatbelt and adjusted the mirrors, pushing her keys into the.

The Catman put on his seatbelt as well, adjusting the seat and tilting it slightly to accommodate his long legs and large frame, "Is this your first time seeing them live?"

"It is. I've been to a lot of concerts and showcases but I don't go anymore unless Tae manages to get tickets," she pulled them carefully out of the driveway, looking back and using the rearview camera. _I stopped going to concerts ever since he left me. _She drove off toward the hall where Tomorrow X Together's showcase would be held, adjusting her rearview mirror slightly. "Do we have our water bottles? How about our glow sticks?"

"Have them right here," Sehun held up one of the water bottles in the bag that rested on his lap, along with a yellow and blue glow stick to wave at the showcase. "I wonder when their official lightstick will come out..."

"Hopefully soon. When they have their first concert, we should buy it," the brunette giggled.

They had arrived at the hall less than an hour later. The location was in a part of Seoul that was between the suburbs and the busy part of the city. Here, no one would think to bother the hybrids that came to watch them perform. Haneul parked her car by the curb, luckily finding an empty space so she wouldn't have to park far away or use a parking meter.

Chanyeol was standing by the doors but he was away from the crowded MOAs, the name given to TXT's fandom, and with him were Taehyung, Baekhyun, Bella, and Minsoo, all waiting with anticipation. The silver-haired male saw the brunette and the Catman leaving their car, and he waved toward them.

"Yo! You made it!" He beamed with delight, and once the two of them came closer, Chanyeol grabbed Sehun's hand in greeting.

"Hey, _hyung_," he smirked.

"Neullie!" Bella squealed, running toward her best friend and giving her a tight hug. "Aren't you excited?! We're finally going to see the little babies perform!"

"I am," she replied. "But I feel like they're growing up too quickly."

"You know they're only a few years younger than you, right?" Minsoo reminded her with a snicker. "You're no more than a sweet little baby than they are."

"But I thought I was the baby!" Baekhyun yelped, pouting cutely, and she scrunched her face, pinching his cheek affectionately.

"Yeah, you still haven't finished growing yet."

"It looks like all seven of us are here together again," Taehyung looked between each one of his friends. "I like it when we all hang out. Our trip to LA will be just like this."

"You're really excited for that trip, huh?" Sehun wondered. "Thanks for offering to help film our music videos and thank you for offering to make our album jackets."

"It's really no problem at all," Bella waved a hand in assurance. "Who would I be if I didn't hold the perfect photoshoot for Cho Haneul, Byun Baekhyun, and EXO-SC?"

"And I didn't go to school for film making because I was bored," Taehyung held his hips, smiling proudly. "You can leave it to us."

"Wait," the raven-haired Catman furrowed his brows with confusion. "Baekhyun _hyung_ is also a singer?"

"You bet he is," Minsoo chirped, holding the corgi hybrid's arm. "He used to be under SM Entertainment."

"But I left," Baekhyun laughed, rubbing the back of his neck but his smile never fading. "They didn't treat me right so I was like, 'screw that! I'm making my own music!' And much like you, I ended up getting beat up, but Min-Soo found me and Chanyeol put me under his label too! Now I'm Baekhyunnie, the independent artist who is coming out with his first mini-album! Please be excited!"

"I know I am," The Pomeranian hybrid, nudged him playfully, and the two of them seemed to share an identical boxy smile. If a stranger would have seen them, he would have thought Baekhyun and Taehyung were actually brothers.

The doors to the hall opened and the crowd filed in, handing their tickets and standing before the empty stage where TXT would be performing. It felt almost surreal, but the screaming fangirls and glow sticks were enough for Haneul to realize she wasn't dreaming.

Sehun reached into his bag, pulling out the glow sticks he and Haneul would be using, pressing two into her small hands while two of his were enclosed in his large ones.

"_Gamsahamnida_," she glanced up at him and he gave her another one of his eye smiles.

The lights began to dim, and the crowd went wild, shouting at the top of their lungs and waving their glow sticks as five hybrid boys took the stage. Their leader was tall, with black hair, big eyes and a button nose that wriggled cutely once in a while, his ears hiding in his hair. His name was Choi Soobin, and he was a rabbit hybrid.

The next member was a cat hybrid who wore a beret over his silver hair, glasses framing his glowing blue eyes, and he had the features of a Russian Blue. He was Choi Yeonjun, the eldest of the group.

The third member had soft dirty blonde locks with black roots and small, lips, his skin glowing under the stage lights and his pupils slit. Striped ears poked out from his hair and he possessed a matching tail. He was the tiger hybrid, Choi Beomgyu.

The name of TXT's fourth member was Kang Taehyun. Like Yeonjun, he too was a cat hybrid with a mature face, big dark eyes, and Snowshoe features. He had a lovely smile and a thoughtful expression.

The _maknae_ of the group was the last to come out. He was a toy poodle hybrid with a mess of long, curly brown hair. Anyone could tell he possessed exotic features from his tall nose to his angular jaw, a mischievous glint in his eyes. His name is Huening Kai.

"One dream!" They called out in unison, bowing together before the audience. "_Annyeonghaseyo!_ We are Tomorrow X Together!"

"_Omo_," Chanyeol was gushing, his mouth agape. "I wanna scratch them all behind the ears and play with them!"

"I know right?!" Bella agreed with him, trying her best to contain her excitement but failed. "Look at Huening Kai! I want to protect that little baby!"

"What if he gets the Zoomies?" Sehun asked abruptly, not having forgotten the day Baekhyun had caused a ruckus in the café a month ago.

"Then I'll join him! But you all will have to run after us!" Baekhyun piped up.

"Yeonjun and I are matching today!" Taehyung added now, jumping up and down. "I knew I did the right thing by wearing a beret today!"

"Uh, are they always like this?" Sehun leaned down to asked Haneul, who laughed and nodded in affirmation. It seemed the Catman had never come across very affectionate fans.

"All the time. It's completely normal," she said as the boys took their positions on stage, crouching like cats and dogs, and music turned on, the screens behind them lit up with cute prints. "Who knows? You might even gush too, but for now, let's enjoy the showcase."

_[Huening Kai, Soobin]_   
_Turn me from a cat into a dog_   
_Now, I want you to take me on a walk_   
_Watch me be the loyalest of all_   
_Okay, baby, here's the leash (purr purr purr)_

_[Beomgyu, Yeonjun]_   
_I don't wanna be just friends_   
_It's no coincidence, it's a kitty-incidence_   
_They be testing out your patience, but I'm here for it_   
_Girl, I promise (Girl, I promise)_   
_So get used to it_   
_Ain't no stopping_   
_Me when you walk in_   
_Got me acting up all crazy, lemme be your pet_   
_Baby make a lil' room, let me get next to ya_   
_I was messin' (I was messin')_   
_Now I'm thankin' ya_   
_I learned my lesson (purr purr)_

_[Huening Kai, Beomgyu]_   
_Baby baby you give me a halo (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_   
_I was far from cute before_   
_Now I'm an angel (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_   
_So make room for me_   
_I hope you don't let go (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_   
_Cause, I've been such a good boy_   
_I hope you don't say no (meow!)_

_[Soobin]_   
_(But) oh my gawd, what is this new emotion? (you)_   
_Now I'm such a puppy when you hold me (you)_   
_Feed me love, it's perfect and you know it_   
_Follow you in circles and no that is not a joke, babe_

_[Taehyun, Soobin]_   
_(Oh oh oh oh)_   
_I'll walk over the obstacles_   
_And be there til' the bitter end_   
_Oh oh oh oh_   
_I just hope you understand_   
_(purr purr purr)_

_[Huening Kai, Taehyun]_   
_I don't wanna be just friends_   
_It's no coincidence, it's a kitty-incidence_   
_They be testing out your patience, but, I'm here for it_   
_Girl, I promise (Girl, I promise)_   
_So get used to it_   
_Ain't no stopping_   
_Me when you walk in (yeah)_   
_Got me acting up all crazy, lemme be your pet_   
_Baby make a lil' room, let me get next to ya_   
_I was messin' (I was messin')_   
_Now I'm thankin' ya_   
_I learned my lesson (hoo, hoo)_   
_(purr purr)_

The fans sang along with everything they had, raising their voices, barking and meowing as they followed the fanchants. They certainly were a talented group, and anyone could see how much effort they put into their vocals and performance. In terms of showcases and concerts, Sehun had only ever been to several Super Junior concerts and showcases, along with SHINee's performances. However, they were two groups that didn't have hybrids in them. It wasn't until recently when SM debuted their newest boy group NCT did they begin to accept hybrids. Unfortunately, there was a sad truth to the new group: the hybrids came from outside of Korea and they weren't treated fairly. It made him wonder what would have happened to him if he actually passed the SM auditions, but now, he was grateful he didn't or else he wouldn't have formed a duo with Chanyeol or lived with Haneul. He wouldn't be in the sea of blue and yellow glow sticks singing along to TXT either if he had passed.

He looked down at Haneul again, watching her sing passionately and waving her glow sticks above her head. She was laughing and smiling, her cheeks tinted a pretty pink. She looked very beautiful at that moment and that look on her face was something he would hold dearly, and he hoped to bring back that joyful smile as they continued living together.

_[Yeonjun]_   
_Let's play forever, I just wanna be your dog_   
_Oh, oh, oh, oh_   
_(Woof, woof, woof, woof)_   
_Oh, oh, oh, oh_   
_I just wanna be your dog_   
_Oh, oh, oh, oh_   
_(Woof, woof, woof, woof)_   
_Let's play forever, I just wanna be your dog_   
_Oh, oh, oh, oh_   
_(Woof, woof, woof, woof)_   
_Oh, oh, oh, oh_   
_I just wanna be your dog_   
_Oh, oh, oh, oh_   
_(Woof, woof, woof, woof)_   
_Meow!_

The music came to a halt and the showcase ended, the boys breathing heavily into their mics as they took in the applauding and cheering fans. They had danced with every nerve in their body and sang from the bottom of their hearts, and they were satisfied with their performance. They would work even harder for their upcoming comeback but for now, they were happy living in the moment.

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

The apartment was silent save for the sound of the water running. After they had finished eating dinner, Haneul and Sehun were busy washing and drying the soiled plates, as well as cleaning the kitchen.

"I hope we get to see those kids again," the raven-haired male spoke as he placed another clean bowl onto the rack. "They were very polite when they spoke to us."

"They truly were," she agreed, placing the final glass into the cabinet above her. "Bella looked so happy when they signed her album. She's always had a soft spot for them even though we're around the same age."

"They said they would be in Los Angeles as well, right? Around the time when we'll be there shooting?" The Catman inquired.

"That's what they said," she closed the faucet, facing him. "It'll be a dream come true if we run into them."

"That's true," he agreed. "But you won't have to worry about a thing. I won't let you or _hyung_ down. I'll make sure to work extra hard."

"You're such a good boy," she said after wiping her hands with a washcloth, getting on her toes and patting his head. "I still don't know what I'm going to do with you...?" She pouted playfully.

He purred again when she touched him, leaning down a bit to make it easier for her to pet him, now on eye level with her. "I don't know," his voice was low and soft. "What do you want to do with me? I'm your sweet Catman, aren't I?" His gaze grew darker, his expression intense, and this made a soft blush grace her cheeks.

"U-Um..." she slowly pulled her hand away, and he stopped purring, but he still kept his eyes on her, making her even more flustered. "I was—" she squeaked when he leaned forward, nuzzling into her cheek and shoulder, inhaling her sweet scent of vanilla and apple blossoms. He'd cuddle her all day if he could, and he released another deep purr.

"You're so cute when you blush," he was satisfied when she shuddered, smiling to himself when she melted under his touch. "When you smile... even your little giggle. It means your happy, and it makes me especially happy when I'm the one who makes you laugh."

He pulled away, noticing her cheeks had become even more flushed, that dark gaze leaving him, replaced with another one of his sweet smiles. Haneul's heart was beating rapidly and she tucked her hair behind her ear, looking down, "You flatter me... I'm not that great..."

"I think you are," Sehun answered. "You're my favorite person in the whole wide world."

_"You're my favorite person in the world," Ilsung gazed at her with his blue eyes, hoping she would look at him, but that smirk curled on his lips when she shied away, running toward the door and leaving his dressing room._

She heard his voice again, but she pushed it away, remembering he wasn't here anymore. Ilsung wasn't a part of her anymore. She couldn't let him spoil her life right now. Haneul's chocolate eyes glimmered and she scratched behind the Catman's ear, "Then you're my favorite person in the whole wide world too." She was so touched by his words earlier. She found Minsoo to be right when she said Cait Sith brought good luck. She felt lucky to have him but there was still that underlying feeling of uncertainty.

The way he casually nuzzled against her, hugged her without warning whether it was to cuddle or just an embrace, holding her hand—it made her heart flutter and her face burn. She wasn't sure what she was feeling at that moment but she didn't mind it either way.

Later that night, after the lights were off and Sehun had retreated to bed, Haneul still stayed in the kitchen, seated at the counter with her songbook open, the lamp turned on. Whenever she wasn't sure how she felt, songwriting became her outlet. She could hear the melody in her head, a soft pop sound with a piano playing, and she hummed along to the music, imagining her fingers as they tapped the ivory keys.

_[Ha-Neul]_   
_How can two people_   
_Trying to create love make such a mess?_   
_Should they know better_   
_Then to make fools of each other?_

_We try spinning in each other's orbit_   
_In time, gravity distorts it_   
_We face a chemical reaction_   
_When our skies collided in attraction_

_Love can be so reckless_   
_And so hard to hold_   
_Love can be tremendous_   
_Like a black hole_

She sang softly, writing the musical notes on some spare sheet music, the weight of her feelings lifting off her shoulders, and for a moment, she was okay.

In the spare room, Sehun listened to her sing, his back turned away from the door which remained slightly ajar. He could hear her uncertainty and melancholy while she sang, but there was an underlying happiness, a part of her that was fine with wondering what would unfold before her. He couldn't help but feel content because he was the reason why she was beginning to unwind. He couldn't imagine what she must have gone through while she was with her ex but he would help her forget and create new, happy memories.

After all, love is reckless and hard to hold, but it was also tremendous and wonderful, and one couldn't help but get pulled into its black hole. Love is perfect but humans and hybrids aren't, and so, their love can't be perfect unless they try to make things work. He wished she could find someone who would show her such a love.

The brunette hummed the last verse to herself, gathering her sheet music and songbook, turning off the lamp and heading toward her room. She put her things neatly on her desk and changed her clothes, wearing a lace camisole and grey jogging sweats, folding her jeans and shirt neatly before a flash blinked from the window. Haneul froze, and she could hear the distant sound of rumbling, her grip on her clothes growing tighter and anxiety stirring in her chest.

Sehun's ear's twitched from the sound, giving him a sense of discomfort. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, looking toward the slightly open door, the lamp in the living room turning off. He deduced the girl had retreated to her room, but she wasn't breathing calmly like she was minutes ago. It was off-balance, quicker, and he could make out her shuddering. _Is she okay...?_ He wondered.

Haneul tried her best to steady her breathing, walking toward the dresser to put her clothes away. _Just stay calm, she thought. It'll pass like it always does—_ Her thoughts were cut short when a violent rumble roared in her ears, and she screamed at the top of her lungs, her clothes falling to the floor in a messy pile. She covered her ears to block out the sound, hiding in the corner of her bedroom and trembling.

That one scream was enough to make him dash out of his room. He pushed through her door and looked around her room in a frenzy, the sound of thunder irritating his ears followed by the downpour of rain, "Neullie!" He found her in the corner of the room near her window, tears streaming down her cheeks. The brunette's glassy eyes found him but they squeezed shut when another round of thunder came, exclaiming frightfully. She pushed herself deeper into the corner, hoping she would disappear.

The Catman released his grip on the doorknob, making his way toward her slowly. He crossed the room, kneeling before her and tilting his head with a smile, "It's okay... I'm here now," he reached out to stroke her cheek, wiping away her tears with his thumb to calm her.

She opened her eyes again, slowly this time, pulling her hands away from her ears and she crawled toward him. "S-Sehun," she sobbed, wrapping her arms around his neck, her face buried in his shoulder as she hugged him tightly, her frame still quivering.

He hugged her back, delicately, like any more trauma to her would make her shatter. "_Gwenchana_... I'm here to protect you. I promise I won't let anything hurt you." His words were the wholehearted truth, whispering into her ear and stroking her hair gently.

She sniffled, nodding against him, not once letting him go. She was comforted by his scent, his protective arms around her doing well to reassure her, "_Mianhe_... I didn't mean to make you see me like this... I've always been afraid of storms ever since I was a child..."

"You don't have to apologize, especially not for something like this," they pulled away from each other, but his arms remained around her waist, keeping her curled up in his lap. "I don't like storms either, mainly because they irritate my ears, but I'll endure it to make sure you always get a good night's rest."

"Thank you," she gave him a half-hearted smile, his eyes becoming downcast. "When I was little, _Halmeoni_ used to volunteer at the hospital. She would sing songs for the patients while I looked after the house. That meant in the summer, I had to get through storms like this on my own... I used to hide in the closet or under the kitchen table and she eventually figured out that I was afraid. But I told her not to worry, and that I would be okay. Even now, I tell her I'm okay... but I'm really not. I try to be brave but I think somewhere inside, she still knows I'm afraid because she always calls me on nights like this..."

She recalled those summer nights, crying and whimpering but telling herself to be brave while she hid away from the rumbling thunder. It was hard going through it alone but she thought she had to because she was growing up. Even so, the fear never truly left.

"Stop putting yourself down like that," Sehun frowned, stroking her cheek and tucking her hair behind her ear. "I don't mind this one bit. It's alright to be scared and you shouldn't feel bad about showing me that you are." He wondered how she must have gotten through rainstorms before he arrived. He guessed she must have curled up here and covered her ears until she had no tears left to shed. "I want you to feel comfortable showing your feelings to me and they don't always have to be happy. Let me see everything, so don't bottle them up."

She held his hand, pulling it away from her cheek and giving it a gentle squeeze. He had a point. She had told him about her past and she had cried in front of him before, and he fell on her doorstep battered and bruised. They both had seen each other at their worst and they didn't think anything of it. "Alright. I'll make sure to show you every part of me."

Hearing her say that made him relieved and Sehun could tell her anxiety had begun to dissipate. Suddenly, her phone went off against the dressers and she made to grab it, quickly answering and placing it by her ear.

"_Ne, Halmeoni?_" The girl asked.

"Are you okay, Neullie? It's storming again. I thought I'd check up on you," the sweet old lady spoke on the other side, and her granddaughter nodded against the phone.

"I'm okay. Sehun is with me," she looked back at him while she spoke, smiling. "He's taking very good care of me."

Sehun gave her a smile in return and pat the top of her head gently. He loved his thoughtful and caring her grandmother was. She did well raising Haneul into such a sweet and caring girl.

"Tell that sweet Catman I said thank you," her grandmother exhaled. "I'm happy he's there to take care of you."

"I'll tell him that," she chuckled. "Good night, _Halmeoni_." She pulled the phone away from her ear and ended the call, placing it back onto the nightstand. "Do you," she began to ask. "want to sleep here with me tonight? Just until the storm passes?"

"I'll stay all night just to make sure you're okay. I'll be right by you the whole time," he shifted around a moment, ready to stand and pick her up in the process. One arm was slung under her knees and the other around her back. The girl gasped when he picked her up effortlessly, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed again.

"Don't worry," the Catman chuckled at her flustered expression as he carried her bridal style toward the bed. "I won't let you fall." He placed her onto the bed, walking around to lay on the other side.

She clutched her palpating heart for a moment before exhaling, laying on her side of the bed, feeling his weight as it dipped the mattress. Haneul pulled them comforter up and rested her head on the pillow, turning off the lamp, "Thanks again..."

He laid on his side to look into her chocolate irises, his eyes glowing slightly in the darkness, "Rest well."


	11. UPDATE!

_So, to those who are reading this fanfic, I just want to let you know that I made a trailer. Here it is! Please enjoy!_


	12. 열

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs used in this chapter:
> 
> Want by Taemin

The plane was silent, save for the small chatter of the passengers or the whining of young children. Taehyung was playing a game on his phone, having woke up from his slumber minutes before. He felt well rested after thirteen hours of sleep, but he hoped they would land soon. He wanted to take a shower the moment he got to the hotel.

Bella sat with him, editing the photos she had taken of TXT from the showcase. She was still reeling over meeting them face to face. Though she was in the same age group as them, albeit slightly older, her maternal side came out the moment she walked up to them at the fansign event.

_"Oh! You're a noona fan," Soobin looked at the silver-haired female. "It's a pleasure to meet you."_

_"Y-You too!" Bella stammered, taking in his adorable features and the way his floppy ears flicked. She knew they would have to grow up eventually but she wasn't ready for that to happen. "When I look at you all, I just want to protect you. You're all so sweet and innocent." She placed her album before the leader, and he signed it._

_"Is that so? Taehyun chuckled, a glint of maturity in his eyes as Yeonjun was the next person to sign her album. "Well, that's very kind of you. Knowing there are fans like you that want to protect us means a lot."_

_"And who do we make this out to?" Yeonjun smiled, his small fangs showing._

_"Bella," she answered quickly._

_"Thank you for coming to our showcase, Bella. We hope you enjoy our comeback coming soon!" Beomgyu was the third to sign her album, followed by Taehyun._

_Then Huening Kai came last, his night eyes set on her for a moment, noticing the huge grin she wore. "Is everything okay?" He asked with sincerity._

_"Y-Yes," she assured him. "It's just that... you're my bias. I saw the video of you on the beach screaming at the top of your lungs!"_

_"Jinjjah?!" The maknae asked with excitement, his cheeks flaring slightly. "How were you able to pick me so easily?"_

_"Um, well, besides your cute screaming," Bella held her chin in contemplation, thinking of a way to explain how she came about her decision. That was when she had an epiphany. "Okay, think of it like this meme on the internet! There are all these protagonists in front of me and I have to choose my favorite. I shove them all to the side and I point at some gremlin, slumped over in the back. That's how I picked you."_

_"So I'm some gremlin?" Huening Kai tilted his head slightly in confusion but he ended up smiling anyway, breaking into uncontrollable laughter. "Alright! I'm a toy poodle that became Noona's gremlin!"_

Bella giggled to herself at the memory, glancing to her left toward the middle seats, where Minsoo was in between Chanyeol and Baekhyun, the two of them snoring loudly with their heads on both her shoulders. She was hugging her bag to her chest, her eyes wide and her body tense. It seemed she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. She sighed heavily, whimpering and closing her eyes with a pout.

On the other side sat Haneul and Sehun. The brunette had the window seat, staring out toward the blue sky and the blanket of clouds that traveled under the plane. The Catman was asleep beside her, his head resting on her shoulder with his headphones still in his ears. She looked much more comfortable than Minsoo did, probably because Sehun didn't snore so loudly.

She grabbed her phone for a moment to look at the notifications that popped up, several Twitter notifications fawning over Ilsung's comeback. She swiped the notification, the app opening, leading her to several fancams with girls screaming in the background and waving their light sticks.

There he was—the tall blonde male with blue eyes and princely features. He was dressed like one too, his voice sweet as it entranced the crowd, pulling them deeper into the music. His dance was effortless recklessness, every movement sharp, fluid, and hypnotic, full of grace and poise.

As expected, a notification from the KBS YouTube channel graced her phone, and she tapped it quickly, the video loading to reveal the same stage where he was performing. It was the Capitol Records stage in Hollywood, a sea of glowing Compass Bongs switched to the North setting before the platform. She could hear the fan chants as Compasses welcomed Cardinal Love's leader, the Blizzard of the North, the Prince of the group: Ilsung.

_[Ilsung]_  
_The moment you drink, the more thirsty you'll get_  
_You don't feel complete, you're trying to define this passion_  
_Your instincts and even your reason will want me more_  
_You'll burn up even more_  
_A strange feeling reaches your fingers and rises up_  
_Randomly spreading throughout your carnal desires_  
_You'll be a prisoner to this heat, you'll want me even more_  
_You'll burn up even more_

_Hot, hot_  
_I'll burn you up even more slowly_  
_Hot, hot_  
_I want you to fall for me without limit_  
_Hot, hot_  
_I'll wake the silence under your deep sea_  
_Hot, hot_  
_You'll want it more, you'll burn up more_

_The prohibited fruit is even sweeter so it's tempting you_  
_This clash is making your senses heightened_  
_In this soft flow_  
_You'll want it more, you'll burn up more_

_Hot, hot_  
_I'll burn you up even more slowly_  
_Hot, hot_  
_I want you to fall for me without limit_  
_Hot, hot_  
_I'll wake the silence under your deep sea_  
_Hot, hot_  
_You'll want it more, you'll burn up more_

_Want it more, want it more_  
_Want it more, want it more_  
_Want it more, want it more_  
_You'll want it more, you'll burn up more_

"_Attention. We will be landing shortly in Los Angeles_," the pilot's voice broke through her thoughts, and Haneul looked up from her phone.

Sehun stirred, pulling his head away from her shoulder and rubbing his eyes. He covered his mouth to yawn meeting her eyes, "Good morning."

"Hi," she replied softly. "Did you sleep okay?"

The Catman nodded, his bleary gaze set on her phone, watching as Ilsung continued his performance. "Who is that?"

"Oh," Haneul put her phone down and shook her head a bit. "That was Ilsung. Don't worry, I'm fine. I just want to—"

"...see his performance," Sehun finished for her, reaching out to pat her head, smiling sympathetically. "It's okay... don't let him get to you. Once we land, we'll be having fun of our own. We're filming three different music videos, having several photoshoots, and we're going to be exploring all of LA. Let's enjoy these next two weeks while they last."

She liked that idea very much. It gave her a chance to focus on herself and her friends. There were no thoughts of the past, no tears to shed, and no thinking about an alternate future. It was her, Sehun, Bella, Taehyung, Chanyeol, Baekhyun, and Minsoo traveling to a new place and making new memories.

"I like that idea," she replied.

There was a deep yawn coming from Chanyeol, and Baekhyun stretched his arms, the two of them lifting their heads off of Minsoo's shoulders.

"Finally!" She hissed, slumping in her seat. "Do you two know how loud you snore?! I couldn't sleep a wink!"

"Are we there yet?" Baekhyun asked sleepily, his hair a mess and his ears drooping, ignoring her completely.

"I haven't slept this well in ages," Chanyeol commented, his eyes still closed.

"We'll be landing shortly," Taehyung answered from his window seat. "And since you're independent artists, that means no crazy fans filming you at the airport!"

"That's one of the perks about making your own music," Chanyeol chuckled, taking off his bowl hat and running his hands through his silver hair. He was afraid he had morning breath, so he kept his mask over his mouth. "No crazy fan is going to jump out and poison us."

The plane descended, leaving its place in the stratosphere as it made for Los Angeles International Airport. The pilot came onto the speaker once again, and the passengers got ready to depart once they landed safely. Their first day in the States was beginning but before they could get to work, a well-deserved shower and nap were needed. Luckily, the hotel wasn't far away and the location was convenient for exploring the city.

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

The hotel room was lavish, with soft mattresses, a clean bathroom and a breathtaking view of the city. After a nice nap and a shower, Haneul had brushed her teeth and blow-dried her hair, changing into a white blouse with slitted sleeves and a denim skirt, drop earrings dangling from her ears. Her makeup was light and pretty, with some eyeliner, a touch of lipstick and shimmery eyeshadow.

The adjacent door leading into Sehun and Chanyeol's room was open, and the two of them were seated on the empty chairs near the balcony doors, and Minsoo kept them company. Bella and Taehyung were gathering the staff to begin the photoshoot for their album jackets, and Baekhyun was meeting with a stylist to get ready for his photoshoot tonight.

Haneul stepped through the door, finding Chanyeol on his phone, his expression harboring slight disappointment. His hair was matted and fluffy, and he wore a short-sleeved button-down with multicolored gradients from blue and magenta to gold and green, a plain t-shirt underneath, tucked into his ripped skinny jeans. On his feet were black boots, and he wore a necklace and wristbands, the tattoos on his arms visible.

"The weather forecast isn't looking too good," he said. "It's cloudy, cloudy, cloudy, cloudy, cloudy, cloudy, cloudy." The older male looked up from his phone. "What do we do, Sehun-_ah?_"

"Hmm," the raven-haired Catman hummed with contemplation as he typed in the hotel's WiFi. His long hair was styled, swept to the side with some strands framing his face. He wore a blue and gold button-down with a t-shirt, ripped jeans and snakeskin shoes, several rings on his fingers and a Bible verse tied around his wrist. He raised his head and smirked a bit, "we just need to work in gloomy weather then."

"I agree," Minsoo chirped suddenly, sitting Indian style on the mattress. "No use giving up now. And who knows? The clouds may add a nice atmosphere to your photoshoot."

"Well, I'm going to need it so the gloomier, the better," Haneul looked between the three of them, grinning. Her album was already full of breakup songs. Sunshine wasn't something she wanted to incorporate until she wrote happier songs.

"Guess the chill is a good sign for you," Chanyeol commented with a chuckle. "I brought half sleeves because I heard the weather was going to be nice. I thought there was no winter in LA..."

"It might be in the coming days," the brunette shrugged. "And there is no winter but if there is a chill, people wear padded jackets..." Her phone buzzed, and Haneul looked at the screen to find a text message from Bella, instructing her to meet them at the warehouses a few blocks away. There would be vintage cars used as props for the photoshoot and it wouldn't be too far from the music shop that would be used for her own photoshoot.

"Was that Bella?" Minsoo wondered.

"Yes," the girl said. "She wants us to head to the parking lot near the warehouses for Sehun and Chanyeol _oppa's_ photoshoot. There will be vintage cars too."

"Did you say vintage cars?!" Chanyeol stood abruptly before running out the door and toward the elevator, yelling at the top of his lungs. "I need to drive one of those!"

"There he goes again," the veterinarian huffed, standing firm the bed. "I swear, sometimes I think he gets the Zoomies too even though he isn't a hybrid. Chanyeol-_ah!_" She ran after him. "_Yah_, you can't just run off like that!" Her voice echoed through the corridor, leaving Haneul and Sehun alone in the room.

The tall male laughed slightly, turning his onyx eyes onto the girl, "I have to deal with an energetic _hyung_, don't I?"

"It would seem so," she sang, giggling before looking up at him. "But at least you'll be keeping him on his toes. Let's head down and join them in the lobby. I'll get our card-keys and any other essentials we'll need."

"Good idea," Sehun agreed, watching her step through the door and into her hotel room, smiling a bit as she gathered her belongings. This had to be the first time he had seen her wear a skirt. Her legs were slender and the white blouse seemed to enhance the glow of her skin. Her hair cascaded down her shoulder like a silk curtain and she was smiling more than she used to. He figured she must have been excited about what the day would bring.

Haneul placed the card-keys into her bag along with a few water bottles, makeup, a comb, and several small toiletries. She closed her bag and darted her chocolate eyes toward the Catman, catching him staring at her with that smile, and she tilted her head slightly, "What is it?"

"Nothing," he said. "You just look very beautiful."

She smiled bashfully, her cheeks turning pink. "You're so sweet," she spoke softly, putting on her boots and walking toward the door, "Let's head out..."


	13. 열하나

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs used in this chapter:
> 
> UN Village by Baekhyun

The clouds were out but there was no sign of rain, which Sehun was grateful for. The parking lot near the warehouses was closed off for the photoshoot, a vintage Mercedes-Benz convertible with two doors and brown leather seats before him.

Chanyeol's jaw dropped, running toward the car with excitement, "She's so pretty! I wanna drive her!"

"How did you manage to get this car here?" Haneul asked. She was standing beside Taehyung, who had finished getting the staff ready so the photoshoot could commence. Minsoo and Baekhyun wouldn't be joining them until the nightlife photoshoot later.

"An old friend of mine helped," Bella answered, adjusting her camera lenses. "I went to school with her in New York, and I called in a favor. She was more than happy to help."

"Don't wreck the car," Sehun warned the older male as he continued to survey the vehicle.

"Don't worry, I'm a good driver!" Chanyeol assured him, getting into the car and seating himself on the trunk. He could smell the leather coming from the seats. "Bella, think you could tell your friend to give me this car?" He teased.

"I can try to work something out," she answered with a chuckle. "Sehun, I want you to sit on the trunk next to Chanyeol facing towards the storage spaces leaning back on your hands. Chanyeol I want you looking the other way."

Sehun did as he was instructed, climbing onto the back of the car and seating himself on the truck. His feet remained hanging in the back as he leaned back slightly, supporting himself on his arms.

Chanyeol watched him sit next to him, a playful glint in his brown eyes when he saw his jeans. He leaned to the side, slipping his hand into the hole of the Catman's ripped pants.

"_Yah! Hyung!_" Sehun yelled, moving his leg away from the older male but a smile crept onto his face. He put his feet back into the car, trying to compose himself again.

Bella laughed from behind her viewfinder. While she was working to get shots for the album, she was also catching shots of their funny moments together to compile later.

"Here we go with playing," Taehyung sighed, shaking his head in amusement.

"You can tell they've gotten close," Haneul giggled as she watched their antics.

Chanyeol laughed uncontrollably before composing himself as well, being himself as Bella snapped more pictures. "Anywhere else you want us to stand?" He asked the female photographer.

"The hood of the car will do," she gestured, and the two males got off the back, seating themselves at the front of the car. Sehun was the first to sit, but he immediately stood up when the car caved in, afraid he had damaged it. He inspected the hood, laughing and patting it gently before taking his seat once more.

"Well, that's it," Bella put her camera down when she was finished. "You boys take a break while I get Neullie ready for her shoot."

"You got it," Sehun got off the car once more, watching the stylists surround the brunette and touch up her makeup slightly.

"You feeling okay?" Chanyeol nudged him slightly and he snapped out of his trance, nodding.

"Yeah... just admiring the view," he spoke truthfully and the older male laughed, throwing his arm over his shoulders and holding onto him, listening to the Catman yowl in surprise. "_Hyung_, what are you doing?"

"You need to focus for later," he teased, pushing his fist against his head and messing up his hair slightly.

"_Aigoo_," Sehun hissed, successful at pushing him away, fixing his hair with his cheeks tinted a slight pink.

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

It was time for the nightlife photoshoot. After Baekhyun had filmed a bit of his music video, Bella had the crew bring their equipment while the makeup artists and stylists worked on Chanyeol, Sehun, and Haneul's appearance for the night.

Standing under one of the many lamp posts along Broadway, the makeup artist put her eyeshadow palette away to inspect the brunette's appearance. She wore a short black dress with thin silvery lines, hoop earrings, a silver necklace and slim choker, boots with thin high heels, and shimmery eye makeup. Her blazer was tucked into her arm, which she would be wearing during the photoshoot, and her hair fell down in waves.

"Perfect," she said to Haneul, who thanked her with a smile and slipped her blazer over her dress, grabbing the fedora that was propped on the small table the makeup artist had assembled.

Twirling it in her hand, Haneul grinned to herself and looked toward her friends, who had also finished getting ready for the photoshoot.

Sehun had changed into a low V-neck shirt with grey scale-like patterning, black blazer, and black ripped skinny jeans. He wore silver rings on a few of his fingers, a silver locket necklace sat tightly around his neck, resting in the small space between his collarbones, and snakeskin shoes that matched the patterns on his shirt.

With a playful giggle, she walked up from behind him, placing the fedora on his head.

"Hey! I can't see!" Sehun meowed loudly, pulling the hat off his head. When he heard her giggling, he turned to face the brunette with a laugh. "What are you trying to do, blind me?" He set the fedora on her head and adjusted it. "It looks better on you anyways."

Haneul's eyes trailed up as he adjusted the fedora on her head, "You sure? We can share it if you like. You'll definitely look dapper with it on." She could smell the musky cologne he wore along with the underlying scent of sweet milk. She found he looked good against the nightlife and the clothes the stylist had picked suited him.

Sehun looked along her face, smiling at how pretty she looked with the new makeup. It accentuated her elegance, her soft features slightly sharpened. He moved his hands away from the fedora on her head and down one of the strands of her hair. The black dress she wore awakened something within him, a slight wave of possession overtake him. He almost wished she wore it for him and not for this photoshoot.

"Are you two done flirting?" Chanyeol teased them, and they turned their gazes in his direction, catching that smirk on his face. He wore a black sheer buttondown with an undershirt of the same color, a blazer on top with a rose petal pinned to his lapel, a thin necktie, and slacks, several silvery rings on his fingers.

"_Oppa_," she began, staring at him in bewilderment. "Why would you say that?"

"Ah, Haneullie, you're so clueless," Baekhyun remarked with a snicker. He had dyed his hair silver for his album jacket shooting, wearing a black coat with silver buttons, a black button-down underneath, and leather pants.

"I still don't get it," she muttered, and the Catman rubbed the back of his head, turning away.

"Why is everyone teasing me?" Sehun pouted cutely.

Bella also picked a different outfit for the night time shot which was suited more for the cool night air. It was something similar to a sweater dress that was longer in the back and shorter in the front. A hood was attached to the back as well. Taehyung was wearing a beret that matched with his dark shirt, a coat over it and loose slacks, his hands tucked into his pockets. Minsoo was off to the side, watching her friends and striking up a conversation with the crew, donning a blue sweater, skinny jeans, and boots, her coat on her lap.

"First victim!" Taehyung called out to the four of them.

"I'll go first," Chanyeol gave the other three a wave as he walked away, posing and walking several times along the sidewalk as Bella snapped away with her camera and motioned for the camera crew to follow her first model. In the next few minutes, the crew put on several tracks from Baekhyun's album, and the title song had come on. The corgi hybrid male sang along first, posing against the buildings and staring into the camera lenses, having become the second model for the night.

_It won't look perfect to you_   
_Just in this moment let everything_   
_Flow naturally to where the wind blows_   
_When I whisper love, I yearn for_   
_When your indifferent eyes_   
_Tell me you love me_

_Even if you say you already know_   
_In a fresh new way_   
_I'll lead you, lean on me_   
_Only I have the right to spend_   
_This special time with you, I know_   
_I know that, I know that, I know_   
_Right now we're_

_Hannam-dong UN Village hill_   
_Looking at the moon from this hill_   
_You and me, mm, yeah_   
_UN Village hill_   
_Side by side looking at the moon_   
_You and me relax and chilling, ay, yeah_

"Neullie, you're up!" Bella called out once she was finished with Baekhyun, and the brunette nodded, patting Sehun's arm with a smile.

"I'll be back," She ran toward the next lamp post and stood under it, grabbing it and spinning around like a character in one of those old Hollywood films.

Bella snapped a photo and moved to a different angle. "I love your energy Neullie! So full of spirit and so playful! Amazing what can change between day and night!"

"Anything for my favorite photographer," Haneul said as she jumped off of the lamp post and continued down the sidewalk, giggling and holding her hands behind her back, singing along to _UN Village_. She wasn't sure why she was in such a good mood but she wasn't complaining.

Sehun listened to her sweet voice as she sang along, purring deeply, his shoulders going loose. He felt this must have been what it would sound like if she sang happier songs. _Love songs_, he thought as he continued to purr with content. _It sounds nice..._

Bella motioned for the lights crew to stay out as she follows after Haneul. She wanted to see if she could get some good shots with natural light from the city. A few touch-ups and they'd be perfect.

The brunette found a nice building with some pillars near the end of the street. She walked up the stone steps and leaned against the columns, adjusting her fedora, even going as far as to make it cover her eyes since she was feeling very playful.

"You're done for the day!" Bella dang as she lowered her camera. "Make sure to rest that pretty face of yours now so tomorrow you can shine again!"

"Guess that means I'm up," Sehun left the two and went to meet up with Bella and Haneul. "I'm you're next victim." He joked to the two girls.

"All yours, my sweet Catman," Haneul giggled, handing him the fedora.

Sehun gave her a meow right before doing his shoot with Bella. She brought him back over to the lighting hoping to catch a good angle to accent his stunning visuals and sharp features. At some point, Sehun placed the fedora on his head to model with it.

"Waaaaaah..." Taehyung remarked silently as he watched Sehun model for the camera, and Haneul joined him, Chanyeol, and Minsoo. "Black is a really good color on him..."

"Brings out the adorable black cat in him," Chanyeol nodded in agreement.

"That is does," Minsoo agreed as well, turning to look at Haneul. "How does it feel seeing another side of your little kitten?"

"Well," she began, turning to look at the raven-haired Catman.

Sehun looked very mysterious and, dare she think it, sexy. It suited him very well, especially with his long hair and dark gaze. It made her heart race again every time she stared at him a little too long.

He removed the hat from his head bringing it down to cover the lower half of his face so only his eyes were visible. He looked into the camera for a couple of seconds before his gaze shifted to his friends standing behind watching him. His eyes solely remained trained on Ha-Neul as he held that pose. _Look at me, _he though._ Look only at me._

Haneul felt her breath hitch from his gaze, her cheeks flushed and her heart racing faster now. _Okay, Neullie, calm down_, she thought to herself. _He's always been good looking, you know that! It's nothing new! He's... has he always been this sexy...?_

Bella snapped away until her camera beeped and a small light flashes on her side of the display. "It seems like the card is full. That's enough for today."

Bella's voice pulled Sehun back to his senses and he realized he'd been staring at Haneul that whole time. He passed the fedora over his eyes to compose himself once more. "Thanks, Bella. I know these are going to be great." He moved a hand along his hair and walked toward the others, brows furrowed when he realized what his thoughts were screaming just moments. He found Haneul had turned away, her cheeks flushed pink under the city lights, holding her elbow as she looked off to the side, her gaze harboring confusion.

_I didn't scare her, did I? _He wondered, walking up to her and placing the fedora on her hand once again, and she faced him quickly, her eyes wide as a doe's.

She made a bewildering sound and he smiled down at her charmingly, "I guess you're okay."

"O-Of course I am," she stammered, playing around with the hat as if she were adjusting it. "Why wouldn't I be...?"

Off to the side, their friends watched them interact, and Minsoo snorted, crossing her arms with a smirk, "Love birds..."

"There's totally something going on between them," Baekhyun observes, holding his chin and squinting his eyes.

"_Yah_, what if they hear you?!" Bella whisper shouted with horror.

"Trust me, they don't," Taehyung assured her. "I think we're going to be getting a lot of fireworks these two weeks."

"We have front row seats too," Chanyeol said to the four of them, smiling endearingly as the Catman and the brunette never stopped looking at each other. _Sehun-ah..._ _Take care of our Neullie... will you?_


	14. 열둘

After the photoshoot, Haneul and her friends had decided to take a stroll through Los Angeles. After taking several pictures along Art Walk, Chanyeol had pulled out a video camera to record the memories they were making as they headed for the Santa Monica pier.

The silver-haired male moved the camera to capture the city before positioning it toward Haneul, "Look how pretty she is... do you agree, everyone? Is she pretty?"

With a laugh, she blew a kiss toward the camera and went skipping forward.

"Neullie, why don't you take the camera now?" Chanyeol suggested. "I wanna be in the video too."

"You got it," she sang, walking back toward him and accepting the camera. She adjusted the lenses so it wasn't blurry before turning ahead, where Sehun was seen holding the fedora. With a playful grin, he covered the lenses with the hat and ducked as if he disappeared from view, only to return after covering the camera again.

"Wow! A Slytherin you are!" Chanyeol gave him a high five and tried his hand at the elevator game but Haneul moved the camera to tease him.

"And you're a Gryffindor pretending to be a Muggle," she remarked, and that earned her a laugh from him.

"Ah,_ jinjjah!_" Sehun feigned irritation and covered the camera again, playing the elevator game once more.

"Oh no! Where is he?! Where's the Catman?!" Haneul played along.

"He's down here!" Baekhyun sang, taking the camera now and moving it down to where Sehun had ducked once again.

Sehun began to laugh, and it was such a contagious sound, his expression full of glee and his eyes turning to crescents. His ears which blended well with his hair flicked with delight, and he stood up, still smiling.

"We're here!" Minsoo exclaimed, gesturing toward the Santa Monica pier where the amusement park by the boardwalk was lit with multicolored lights, especially the Ferris wheel which was in a rainbow of colors. There were kiosks where people could play games along with a roller coaster, and on the beach were young men and women surrounded by a bonfire and drinking beer, the smell of salt in the air mixed with cotton candy and fried foods, and the sound of screams, laughter, and waves in her ears.

"We should play some games," Taehyung suggested to Bella. "I can even win you a stuffed animal!"

"And I want to go on that roller coaster," she pointed with excitement.

"Sehun-_ah_, it's just like one of our songs in our album," Chanyeol replied and the raven-haired Catman nodded in agreement.

"You're right. I wanna take a ride too!" He said.

"Then roller coaster first and games later!" Baekhyun said, instantly getting the Zoomies from all the energy within his small frame, his ears flicking and his tail wagging as he ran toward the line.

"Baekhyun, slow down!" Minsoo called out and ran after him. "You're getting the Zoomies again!"

"Come on!" Bella said, grabbing Taehyung's arm and running ahead to join the others, and Chanyeol followed suit.

"Wait for me!"

Haneul watched them with a chuckle, and Sehun turned to look down at her. Maybe it was because of the photoshoot earlier or it was the American air, but he was beginning to adore her at this moment. Hesitantly, he reached out to hold her hand, his heart pounding in his chest and she met his gaze, her eyes widening slightly once their hands touched.

"Shall we?" He asked with a shy smile, and she took a moment to answer, but ultimately, she held onto his hand firmly, nodding, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Yeah. Let's ride that roller coaster," she answered, and they both walked toward the line to join their friends, not once letting go of each other's hands.

Somewhere in the center of a crowd of women, standing tall with his blonde hair and blue eyes before a kiosk was Ilsung. After successfully shooting the target with the toy gun, he had won a lion plushie and signed it, turning toward the crowd of women, "Who wants it?" He asked, and several girls squealed, begging and pleading to be the lucky one to receive the plushie.

Minjae huffed, standing off to the side and watching his friend with his dedicated admirers. What was supposed to be a night out with his friend had turned into an endless sea of fans following him around, but Il-sung didn't seem to mind.

The blonde tossed the lion to a girl to his left and she grabbed it, cooing and smiling, and the other girls surrounded her, telling her just how lucky she was to have received his gift.

"See you," Ilsung waved, and he walked away, the girls bidding him farewell, and Minjae followed after him.

"I'm surprised they didn't kill each other," he said as they passed the other kiosks.

"Trust me, these girls aren't sasaengs. In fact, I don't think I'll be finding any of those anytime soon," Ilsung commented, his eyes wandering toward the roller coaster. "It's been a while since I went on one of those..."

"Count me out," Minjae chuckled nervously, waving his hands in front of him. "I hate roller coasters. They make me sick."

"Suit yourself," the blonde shrugged with a smirk, leaving a stammering Minjae to watch him make his way toward the line where others were waiting to take a ride.

"It's been so long since I've had this much fun."

A familiar voice prompted Ilsung to stop. _Wait... it can't be_, he thought as he took several steps forward. He didn't want to believe it but he knew that voice anywhere. Light and pretty, full of innocence, and it belonged to only one person. His eyes widened when he set his eyes on her--her long brown hair and beautiful chocolate eyes, but she wasn't sad anymore. She didn't have that lifeless expression he last saw when she kicked him out of her life.

It was Haneul who stood before him.

"I'm glad you are," another voice spoke. "I'll make sure you have tons of fun while you're here. That's a promise."

"You sweet thing," she replied, looking up at the male beside her.

Ilsung took him in. He was tall, maybe an inch or two taller than he was, and from his side profile, he looked very handsome. His raven hair was long and he could make out what looked like cat ears that blended very well with his hair along with a tail. He had bright dark eyes with long lashes, his brows thick and fierce, a tall nose and thin lips.

"It's too bad we can't film our music video on this," the cat hybrid mused with slight disappointment.

"But there will be a picture taken while we're on it," Ha-Neul reminded him. "Maybe Bella can add that to your album photo book."

Ilsung's eyes trailed downward, and he caught the hybrid holding her hand. He felt his heart shatter a little, and he mustered up the courage to grab her attention. _There's no way she could move on from me that quickly,_ he thought. "Angel?"

His voice caught the Catman's attention, turning to face the blonde with eyes narrowed in suspicion. Haneul followed his gaze until her eyes were on Il-sung, her body stiffening.

In front of her, Ilsung caught Chanyeol, Taehyung, Bella, Baekhyun, and Minsoo as well. It seemed they all had decided to take a trip to the States and if he had to guess, judging from Haneul's words, they were in LA to shoot a music video, most likely for Chanyeol and her. Yet he wondered how she had come across the cat hybrid.

"Oh no," Baekhyun growled slightly.

"It's... been a while," the blonde male said to her with a smile, those feelings rushing back again. All the sadness he had felt with Jiah was beginning to dissipate. He knew Haneul would come back into his life and it couldn't be more perfect timing than this. "You've gotten more beautiful than last time."

"Ilsung," Haneul began, her heart sinking, and she averted her gaze, pushing away all the memories they had shared. She didn't need him anymore, not after the way he had hurt her. She wanted nothing to do with him and she only wished to spend the night in peace. "Please leave. I'm not here to see you."

"What are you talking about?" He choked. "You're right here, right in front of me! Look, I made a mistake! I shouldn't have thrown you away like that. I only—"

"So you're the guy," the raven-haired Catman said, letting go of her hand and standing in front of her, his expressing stern and cold. "The asshole that dumped her for no reason."

"Angel, just who is this?" Ilsung questioned, cocking an eyebrow at the cat hybrid, jealousy bubbling within him.

"What's it to you?" She inquired. "And stop calling me that. I'm not your angel anymore, and where the hell is your girlfriend?!"

Minjae had caught up to his friend, his eyes set on the group before them, and his jaw drops. "Neullie?!" He exclaimed, and she trailed her eyes toward the brunet, her brows furrowed.

"Minjae... you're here too," she said softly.

"If the prince is wondering," Sehun answered the blonde's question. "I'm Sehun, Neullie's friend. And I'm wondering the same thing, where _is_ your girlfriend?"

"She's not feeling well," he said, knowing full well with that sickening twinge in his stomach that Jiah was lying to him. "but that doesn't matter. She's not good to me anyway. I haven't stopped thinking about you, Angel. Please take me back. We can start over and I won't cheat on you again!"

"Like we haven't heard that one before," Chanyeol stepped up now, standing beside Sehun and towering over the two males with a deathly glare. "Leave Neullie alone. She clearly doesn't want to get back together with you."

"After everything you've put her through, and after lying to us," Taehyung piped up suddenly. "We thought you were our friend!"

"By hurting her, you hurt us too!" Minsoo exclaimed. "You're lucky that we let you off easy or else someone's fist may have slipped!"

"She's finished with you so go find another girl and ruin her life instead!" Baekhyun yelled.

"You don't speak for her!" Ilsung countered, looking between her friends and meeting Ha-Neul's chocolate gaze once more. "Angel, please. You have to believe me! I promise you it won't happen again. What Jiah and I have—it turned out to be meaningless! That was—"

"You're terrible," she smiled sadly before releasing a humorless chuckle, her tone sounding tired. "I've moved on. Why should I believe you when you slept with her so many times behind my back? I don't need this stress in my life."

"Minjae, please take him somewhere else," Bella implored his friend. "We didn't come here just to ruin the next two weeks of our work."

"Y-Yeah," he nodded toward the silver-haired female and grabbed onto the blonde's shoulder, pulling it back gently. "Come on, _hyung_. Let's just go. It's not going to work out, and you know it."

"I'm not leaving!" He jerked his shoulder away from his touch. "All I'm asking is for a chance!"

"Well, she's not giving it to you," Sehun told him, and he grabbed onto Haneul's hand, looking down at her and leading her toward the line. "Come on. Let's get on that roller coaster and forget about him."

"Who asked you?!" Ilsung suddenly snapped, and he went running toward the Catman. In what seemed like a blur, he threw his fist across Sehun's face, causing him to fall to the ground, and the crowd of people that were standing on line began to gasp and murmur.

"Sehun!" Haneul cried out, getting on her knees to help her friend, who hissed in pain, his face scrunched and a bruise forming on the right side of his jaw.

"_Aish!_" Sehun cursed as he gingerly pressed a hand to his injury.

Ilsung breathes heavily through his teeth, ready to go another round, but before he could lungs at the Catman, Minjae had thrown his arms around him, pulling him back with all his might. "Let go of me!"

"Stop it, _hyung!_ People are watching!" He shouted.

"I don't care!" The blonde screamed.

"Just leave him alone!" Haneul exclaimed, still kneeling beside her friend, her eyes becoming glazed over, and Ilsung caught her tears. "Go away!"

The very sight made his anger dissipate, and he stopped struggling, his face softening and his blue eyes on the ground now. "Angel... I—"

"You heard her, go!" Chanyeol yelled, pushing him back and pointing ahead, his cantankerous eyes on the brunet beside him. "Take him and go, Minjae! He's done enough!"

With a vigorous nod, he began to pull Ilsung away, and the blonde male followed, shame and guilt stirring in his chest after realizing he had made Haneul cry again. He looked over his shoulder, watching her help the Catman to his feet, and he saw it—the love and kindness in her eyes as she asked him if he was alright, and all he did was give her a gentle smile and assure her.

There was something going on between the two of them, and Ilsung couldn't stop it. It seemed he was too late but that didn't mean he wouldn't still try. If they were going to be in LA for two weeks, he was going to do everything in his power to get Haneul back.

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

Back at the hotel, after everyone had retreated to their rooms for some much-needed rest, especially after the episode with Ilsung, Haneul was making an ice pack for the bruise on Sehun's jaw. She had changed out of her dress and into a camisole and sweatpants, her hair braided and resting on her shoulder.

Sehun was seated on the adjacent bed, waiting for her to leave the washroom, and when she stepped out, his ears flicked and he gave her a smile, watching her step toward him to give him the ice pack.

"Just our this on your bruise and you'll be okay," she said, but he tilted his head, staring at her with big eyes.

"Can you do it for me?" He asked.

With a soft chuckle, she nodded and stood between his legs, pressing the ice pack to his jaw, "I can't do this forever so you'll have to take over in a bit," she caught the way the free strands of hair fall by his temples, his eyes closed and his long lashes casting shadows on his high cheekbones. Her cheeks began to grow warm at the close proximity—something that usually never happened to her. To break the tension, she cleared her throat and continued to speak. "That jerk... you have to shoot the music video tomorrow and he gave you a bruise..."

"It's nothing makeup can't fix," Sehun reminded her. "And remember: hybrids heal much quicker than humans. This will be gone by the time we start shooting tomorrow."

"Still," she said, her thoughts wandering toward tomorrow's shoot. They would be filming the What a life music video on a yacht, and rumor had it that the staff had picked some expensive robes for Sehun and Chanyeol to wear. They would be popping champagne, hanging out with backup dancers, and having the time of their lives. The very thought of him flexing on a yacht put a smile on her face, and she tried her best to stifle her giggles. "You should probably hold this now."

She tried again to pull away, but Sehun was quick. His eyes opened and he placed his hands on her hips, pulling her back to him, "Stay," his voice was soft and raspy, his gaze so intense as he looked up at her, and Haneul couldn't take her eyes off of him. It was the same gaze he gave her a few hours ago during their photoshoot. He encircled his arms around her midsection, burying his face in her chest and hugging her tightly, and her face only grew hotter.

She listened to him purr as he nuzzled into her, and as if her body had a mind of its own, Haneul wrapped her arms around him, smiling to herself and combing her fingers through his hair. _Why am I blushing when we've been this close before?_ She wondered. _It's nothing, and yet..._

Sehun's purrs became deeper, and he pulled her down with him onto the mattress, crawling on top of her and shadowing her with his large, lithe frame. His sweet scent was spreading all over her, and she noticed the perfect imperfections on his face from freckles that looked invisible from afar to the small scar on his cheek.

"Please don't go," he pleaded silently, his long fingers stroking her hair. He could smell the scent of her vanilla shampoo and apple blossom perfume. He could see the endless galaxy in her sweet chocolate eyes. He could feel the softness of her flawless skin, the warmth of her touch, and he looked at her lips, small and parted, waiting to be kissed, and he could hear her fluttering heartbeat. _I do have an effect on her, _he thought, leaning down to nuzzle into her cheek and neck, satisfied when she breathed contentedly, tilting her head to the side to give him more access. "You're touch is so warm... it's always soothed me."

His cuddling was much different from the last few times they were this close. Haneul could feel something was different, but she didn't stop him. She sighed again when he purred in her ear, and when he pulled back to look at her once more, she reached out to touch him, tracing the outline of his face, and Sehun held onto her hand, pressing kiss after kiss along her palm and nibbling on the inside of her wrist. "Sehun..." she trailed off, sitting up a bit, and he leaned closer, still holding her hand, and his next action took her by surprise once again.

Their lips touched, and for a moment, she had half a mind to push him away, but something stopped her. She didn't want to pull away. She didn't want to part from him. Without much thought, Haneul kissed him back, pulling him back on top of her and they became a mess of butterflies. Her senses were overpowered, and she was stuck in a trance, her fingers tangled in his hair and slowly scratching behind his ear as he pushed his tongue into her mouth.


	15. 열셋

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs used in this chapter:
> 
> What a life by EXO-SC

Sehun was the first to wake up the next morning, his eyes fluttering to greet the slightly darkened room, the sound of rain pattering against the window. His ears still drooped from slumber, his nose buried in Haneul's sweet-smelling hair, and he pulled away to look down at her. She slept so soundly, her breath so steady, a soft flush of pink on her cheeks and her lips parted slightly, her long lashes casting shadows on her cheekbones. The Catman smiled to himself, memories of the night before filling his thoughts as he holds her closer, nuzzling her again with a deep purr.

The kiss they shared was something he wouldn't forget. He could still feel her plush lips against his, his skin tingling with content, and one thing led to another, and they were in each other's arms, kissing for hours and taking each other's breath away until he pulled back to hold her, and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

In the next few minutes, Haneul was the second to awaken. She opened her bleary eyes, yawning quietly, her ear resting on Sehun's steady heartbeat before she pulled away to look up at him with a sleepy smile. "Good morning," she spoke softly, tightening her arms around his torso, their legs tangled under the sheets, the fresh scent of detergent coming from his worn t-shirt mixed with his natural musk and sweet milk.

"Good morning," the raven-haired male greeted her sweetly, making sure she was comfortably nestled in his arms. "Did you sleep okay?"

She gave him a nod, "Yeah... listening to you purr and cuddling with you helped me fall asleep."

"That's good," he chuckled. "I'll purr every night and keep you warm every night if it means you sleep well."

"Aw," Haneul cooed softly, stroking his hair, and he leaned into her touch, purring again. "What a sweet Catman you are... you've helped keep me calm so many times. I want to do the same..." Then, she began to recall the events that transpired the night before. She remembered their encounter with Ilsung, then he picked with a fight with Sehun, giving him the not-so-prominent bruise he now had, and then they returned to the hotel and while she gave him an ice pack, in their close proximity, they both shared a kiss. In turn, that one little kiss turned into hours of making out and cuddling until they both fell asleep in each other's arms.

Sehun had noticed how distant she became in that moment, having ceased her scratching behind his ear, and he took hold of her hand, "Neullie? What's wrong?" He asked. "Did I upset you?"

She met his concerned gaze, giving him a shake of her head, "Not at all," she replied. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about last night. I don't regret any of it. I think... something has been going on between us for a while, hasn't it?"

The Catman nodded in agreement, pressing a kiss to her hand, "It has for the longest time," he answered, his gaze becoming serious and melancholy. "I was just too afraid to tell you how I felt because you've been so good to me when you didn't have to be. I thought you would kick me out of your life, but after last night, during the photo shoot, when Il-sung came, and when we were so close to each other, I just had to kiss you. I didn't want to ruin something special between us but I couldn't help it. The day you found me on your doorstep, I knew you were my saving grace. You kept me safe and you don't look at me like I'm beneath you. You're the person I want to be with forever."

"Sehun," she gazed at him, giving him a comforting smile and moving closer, hugging him again, her head resting against his chest, and she felt him encircle his arms around her tighter like he was afraid she would disappear. Like she was a dream and that he would wake up any second and find she wasn't there. "I could never throw you out. You have such a kind heart and I know you're not capable of hurting me. Meeting you is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You make me laugh, you listen to all of my troubles, you accept me even when I'm vulnerable—not only have you been a good friend to me, but you've been a good lover. I could never look down on you. I don't care if you have ears and a tail because you'll always be my equal."

Hearing her words helped him to relax. He breathed a sigh of both relief and content, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek before nuzzling into her once more, his purring in her ear. "Thanks, Neullie... I don't know where I'd be without you. At this point, I don't think I could stand not having you with me. You've become my whole world," he stroked her cheek, a look of adoration in his dark eyes. "I'm in love with you..."

She stared back at him, wondering if she heard him correctly. It had been a while since she heard that word.

_Love_.

Love was reckless.

Love was tremendous.

Love was a black hole.

Love was a mess.

Love made a fool of her.

But this—this was different.

In all of her time with this man, he smiled at her genuinely. He didn't romance her with sweet words, he didn't give her extravagant gifts, and he didn't ask her to wait for him. He was sincere with her. He didn't play with her heart. He was careful with her feelings and took away her pain. Every time she thought back to every single moment they spent together, Sehun was there.

Sehun stayed by her side and loved her with everything he had, and without knowing, she had fallen for him too—from the moment she took him in, to falling asleep on that couch with him, to showing him her childhood fear, and showing him the sadness she was left behind with.

"I'm in love with you too," she breathed, the onset of tears prickling at her waterline, but they weren't tears of sadness. For the first time in a while, Haneul displayed tears of joy. She hugged him again, her body quivering as she sobbed silently, and Sehun combed his fingers through her hair in comfort, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

His heart swelled knowing she had fallen for him as well, and he held for the next hour until she had finished releasing her tears.

✧₊⁺˳✧༚

The group had driven out toward the pier in the late morning where the yacht was waiting. The first day of shooting the _What a life _music video had commenced and the rain had stopped, the clouds patting to allow the sunlight to stream through, and Sehun boasted that the weather changed because he brought good luck as a Cait Sith throughout the ride.

Now, Haneul stood on the pier, wearing a white button-up cardigan over a fitted t-shirt of the same color, jeans, and a satchel, her coat tucked on her arm. The yacht was ready, and Taehyung's crew had brought their equipment on board.

"It's so cool, right?" Bella asked with excitement, wearing a red coat over her black shirt and jeans. "EXO-SC is going to be flexing on a yacht!"

"They're looking really good in their robes too," Baekhyun gestured, holding onto a bottle of champagne which the two males would be opening during the shoot. He was wearing a white tracksuit and a snap-off over his head, his ears sticking out and his tail wagging. "How did you managed to get your hands on that Versace robe?!" He asked Taehyung, who was in a beret and an oversized button-down and baggy pants, wearing a pair of round-rimmed glasses.

"I just asked Manager-_nim_ to pull a few strings," he answered the corgi hybrid. "And something about what Chanyeol _hyung_ said last night during the photoshoot gave me an idea."

Minsoo, dressed in a leather jacket with a cap, a black tank top, and jean shorts, followed their gazes toward Sehun and Chanyeol, who were both marveling at the yacht just as much as they were. "I guess they're a lot more excited than we thought. This is pretty expensive for a low budget photoshoot."

Chanyeol was in a wife-beater, neon yellow shorts, and slippers, a robe the same color as his shorts over his simple attire, his silver hair slicked back to reveal his undercut. Sehun, on the other hand, was in the navy blue Versace robe with gold trim Taehyung had managed to find. Underneath it, he wore a white t-shirt and a necklace, dark shorts, and sneakers.

The Catman was now preoccupied with his phone, and Chanyeol was the first to step onto the yacht, reaching out to grab Sehun's hand and help him on. Eventually, they all got on, making their way onto the top deck, and the ship was taken a ways out, just far enough so that the city wasn't enough but close enough for them to head back when they were finished shooting the music video.

The deck chairs were assembled, the female extras joining the two of them in front of the camera, and Ha-Neul watched the two of them sing along to the title track of their album with a smile.

_[Sehun, Chanyeol]_   
_I work to play_   
_I work as if I'm playing, what about you?_   
_I feel like I play every day I'm like a Taoist hermit_   
_What a life, what a life, what a life_   
_What a life, what a life, what a life_   
_What a life, what a life_

The two of them danced as they sat on the deck chairs, the cameras moving along per Taehyung's instructions, and Bella turned to look at the brunette, noticing the way her gaze softened as she watched the cat hybrid. "Neullie?" She began. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Haneul made a sound and looked at the silver-haired female, giving her a nod. "Yeah... I was just watching them, that's all."

As Sehun sang along, his eyes wandered to the back of the crew, catching Haneul's gaze and giving her a bright smile, and she returned it, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Once the music stopped, Chanyeol exclaimed and laid on his deck chair, holding his stomach, his face turning green, "I'm so seasick!"

"Let's check their footage," Taehyung spoke, and all eyes were on the screen of the camera. He inspected the camera work with a professional eye, and Sehun stood from the deck chair, the cool sea breeze blowing through his hair as he made his way toward Haneul.

"Hi," he looked lovesick, and she couldn't help but chuckle. Sehun's expression didn't go unnoticed by Bella either.

"I'm gonna go help Chanyeol," Bella jerked a thumb, and she stepped carefully over the equipment toward the older male who was on the verge of vomiting, leaving the two of them to themselves.

"Hey," Haneul replied softly. "You looked good right now."

"You think so?" Sehun wondered, leaning in to look at her closer now. "Think maybe I should buy a yacht and captain it in a bathrobe from now on?" He teased, and she sighed heavily, shaking her head.

"You don't have to do that," she laughed. "I like my Catman even when he's not on a yacht and wearing an expensive bathrobe."

"Baekhyun, open that champagne! We gotta make Chanyeol tipsy!" Minsoo yelled and the older male nodded vigorously, grabbing the bottle and a glass.

"Make way! We gotta stop him from throwing up his breakfast!" Baekhyun shouted, jumping over the equipment.

"Having bacon, egg, and cheese was a bad idea," Chanyeol complained, shivering from the cold breeze and grabbing the sizzling champagne once it was open, downing it in one gulp and hooting, the color returning to his face. "I'm getting tipsy!"

The new couple watched their friends dote on the male, but soon, Sehun turned away, resting his eyes on the brunette who looked so pretty against the sea, her long hair in the wind. He reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear, moving forward and hugging her close to him, and she released a slight gasp. "Sehun... what are you...?" She trailed off, ultimately giving in. He was so warm, the goosebumps on her skin disappearing once he held her against him.

"Keeping you warm," he answered. "It's cold and breezy out at sea. I can't allow you to freeze, now can I?"

She was silent for a moment, closing her eyes and circling her arms around his waist, "No, I guess not..." at this rate, she didn't care if the crew or her friends saw them. She knew this embrace was short-lived since he would have to shoot the next scene for the music video, so she decided to take full advantage of the warmth he gave off.

"Looks like we agree on something," Sehun smirked, burying his face in her hair. He had almost forgotten that there were several other people with them, but right now, she was his world.

As Bella helped the tipsy Chanyeol to his feet, her chestnut eyes were set on her best friend and the Catman, who held each other close, making her smile joyously. The fireworks that began last night continued on, and she couldn't be happier for the two. "Alright, let's get you to the other side of the boat," she finally said before Chanyeol could open his mouth and ruin their moment.


	16. 열넷

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done For Me - Punch *Please listen to this song as you read!*

_~Flashback~_

_Chanyeol sat in the studio, playing a melancholy tune on his guitar, testing our several different notes to ensure the melody of his new song flowed smoothly, grabbing his pencil and scrawling musical notes on the sheet music before him. "Almost finished," he mumbled with a smile, looking to his phone. "Better tell Neullie the new song is nearly done." He reached out to grab it, unlocking it and scrolling through his contacts to call her, bringing the phone to his ear and listening to it ring from the other side._

_"Yeobosaeyo...?" She finally picked up, and the silver-haired female sat straighter, adjusting their guitar in his lap._

_"Neullie!" Chanyeol began excitedly. "I'm almost done with the song! We can start recording tomorrow if you'd like!"_

_"Ah... really...?" She asked softly._

_"Yeah! Trust me, you're going to love this song," he assured her. "We can release this duet in two weeks and post our comeback on social media!"_

_"That's... that's good," she managed to say, and that was when Chanyeol's smile faded, concern now etched on his face even though she could see it._

_"Neullie, are you okay? You're usually a lot more enthusiastic. Are you feeling sick?" He inquired, a short silence in the studio before he heard a sharp intake of breath on the other side, followed by a sniffle and hiccups. "Neullie?" He asked once more, his worry increasing._

_"Oppa..." Her tone was dejected, at the very edge of a sob and Chanyeol stood abruptly, placing his guitar to the side and grabbing his coat._

_"I'm coming over," he told her, his voice solemn as he pushed past the door, pulling out the keys to his cars and exiting the small building. He made way toward his car, getting into his seat and driving in the direction of her home, his hands gripping the steering wheel for dear life._

_Hearing her cry on the phone was something he had never heard before. Chanyeol thought Haneul was happy, at least, she seemed happier. She was constantly writing love songs, she was smiling so radiantly, and she seemed to be taken care of because of Ilsung's presence. He knew they had to keep their relationship a secret lest Dispatch found out an indie artist was dating one of the biggest artists in the industry. She always went to his music shows to support him, every concert to show her love, every fansign event under the guise of a fan, forever hidden under a mask, but lately, he found things weren't the same._

_Haneul wasn't going to music shows as frequently. She wasn't going to fansigns, nor his concerts. In fact, it was like there was a distance between her and Ilsung, and he had a feeling the sadness she was feeling right now was because of him._

_When Chanyeol arrived in front of her house, he locked his car and ran to the porch, knocking on the door several times, only to hear the soft, feather-like footsteps of Haneul on the other side. When she opened the door, he found her no longer as the girl with the pretty smile. She looked dimmer, her gaze downcast, streaks of dried tears lining her cheeks as more fell from her eyes, and her shoulders were trembling. She looked so small, so helpless, so fragile than she already was, and he was afraid she was going to break._

_"Neullie?" Chanyeol stepped forward, reaching out to touch her shoulder gingerly. "What's wrong?" He asked and she sniffled, looking up at him with sad chocolate eyes._

_"Oppa," she began. "It's over... It's..." she sobbed harder now, closing her eyes and hanging her head once more. "Ilsung and I broke up."_

_Without hesitation, Chanyeol wrapped his arms around his best friend, hugging her petite frame into his large one, stroking her hair in comfort as she cried. He felt his heart shatter when she broke down, her tears staining his coat. How anyone could hurt her was beyond him, but he wasn't going anywhere. He was going to stay and look after her. Haneul needed a friend right now._

_In the next few minutes, the two of them were seated on the couch, a box of tissues and a bottle of soju on the table. The older male watched her as she wiped away her tears before taking a shot of soju, placing the glass down on the table._

_"He cheated on me," she explained. "with an older woman..."_

_"I'm so sorry, Neullie," he wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close and rubbing her arm. "Fuck him. He doesn't deserve you anyway. And shame on me for thinking he was a friend. I wrote him songs and he treats my best friend like this."_

_"I'm such an idiot," the brunette lamented. "I messed up. Why did I let myself fall for him?"_

_"You're not an idiot," Chanyeol moved her hair away from her eyes and smiled down at her with comfort. "Neullie, you did the most selfless thing in the world, and that is loving someone."_

_"But all those things he said to me," she continued, sniffling. "He told me to support him, to wait for him—he said things about being a prince and maiden, and I began to believe him! I don't believe in that kind of stuff, but he got me to!" Haneul hugged her legs to her chest, burying her face in her knees. "I'm so naïve... If only I didn't have this face... if only I wasn't so kind, then maybe I could have stopped this before it even began. I'm so frustrated with myself..."_

_"Don't ever say that," he frowned. "You did nothing wrong. You're not naïve. He may have taken advantage of you but don't ever blame it on yourself," he stroked the top of her head. "If you weren't so kind, then we wouldn't have become close. Don't ever change that part of yourself because of what he did. Please, be kind to yourself."_

_With a huff, she put her legs down, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling, "I just wonder what's wrong with me? He said I'm like a girl from the historical period... am I not beautiful? Am I not good enough to care for him? What does she have that I lack?"_

_"You don't lack anything," Chanyeol shook his head. "In fact, it's the complete opposite."_

_She turned to look at him, confusion in her eyes, "What do you mean?"_

_With a sigh, Chanyeol sat Indian style on the couch, turning toward her fully, "Neullie, you're the kind of girl that men would die to take home and introduce to their parents. You don't ever think wrong of others and you take care of the people around you. You're smart, well-mannered, beautiful, and you value what you have. I guarantee you that whoever Ilsung chose over you isn't any of those things. He has no idea what he has lost now, and you deserve better than him anyway."_

_"What do I do?" She asked. "Honestly... I don't feel like doing anything right now... I just want to hide and cry and scream... but I can't do that because that would be childish."_

_With a chuckle, the silver-haired male grabbed the soju bottle and poured himself a shot, "Being a functional human being doesn't mean you have to pretend everything is normal. It's okay to cry and scream, especially after this... hell, I was so angry after I broke up with my ex. I almost punched a hole in the wall..."_

_"That's understandable though," Haneul dropped her shoulders. "She did try to take your money..."_

_"And I am glad to be single again," he smirked, bringing his shot glass to his lips. "And now that you're single as well, it's time for you to treat yourself."_

_"Ah," she made a sound, giving a nod and standing from her place on the couch, making her way toward the fridge and opening the freezer. She found the tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream Bella had bought her in case she had a "bad day," as she put it, before grabbing a spoon._

_Then, Haneul took her place back on the couch, opening the top and digging her spoon into the tub. She took a spoonful of ice cream and popped it into her mouth, the mint and chocolate flavors making her wince. It didn't taste right to her, but she insisted on eating it, putting another spoonful into her mouth, and sobbing once more._

_"It tastes bad," she wailed, sniffling and proceeding to eat, and Chanyeol pulled her close once more, rubbing her back and listening to her cry her eyes out until she had no tears to shed, the scent of frosty mint chocolate chip ice cream permeating the living room._


	17. Valentine’s Day Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Just wanted to put out this special chapter. Hope you enjoy it! The song used in this chapter is Borderline by EXO - SC.

It seemed love was in the air--literally.

Everywhere Sehun looked, couples were walking hand in hand, flower shops and bakeries were already displaying their best roses and chocolates, and the radio wouldn't stop playing the same love songs over and over again. Valentine's Day was only three days away but it seemed it would last the entire week.

However, he didn't mind it. Sehun liked all the red hearts and the scent of chocolates that filled the winter air. He liked the love songs and the cute gestures couples made for each other. But most of all, he loved the person who was walking a ways in front of him.

Haneul had her hands tucked into the pockets of her coat, the heels of her black knee-high suede boots clicking against the pavement as they walked down the main street of Icheon, leaving Loey Music behind after a long day of producing music. Her long hair flowed in the soft cold breeze, the tip of her nose and her cheeks a frostbitten pink.

"Guess it's that time of year again," she sighed deeply.

Sehun chuckled a bit, catching up to her, and she smiled up at him. "I'm guessing you want to have a typical Valentine's Day?" He wondered, and she hummed in contemplation before shaking her head.

"No," Haneul answered him, turning around and facing him, walking backward as she did so. "Roses, chocolates, a fancy dinner and wine, and all that corny jazz isn't my thing." She turned back to walk beside him again. "I think it's a little odd that there's a day reserved for expressing your love for someone. You should express your love for that special person every day."

"Then what kind of Valentine's Day do you dream of?" The Catman questioned, intrigued by her words.

"Well," she was contemplative again, choosing her words carefully before coming up with her answer. She reached out to hold his hand, staring out toward the end of the main street. "a Valentine's Day where my boyfriend doesn't use extravagant gestures to show how much he loves me. I just want him to be himself and love me like he does every day."

Sehun held her and tightly, her words making his stomach do backflips. She was such an intriguing human, and he found that very attractive about her. Ever since she took him in, he realized how different she was from other girls. She was smart, eloquent, and her outlook on life was unique. "I think I can do just that," he replied, the seeds of an epiphany planted in his thoughts. "My Neullie will get the Valentine's Day she deserves."

He would have to ask Chanyeol to help him out though.

♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎

"What?" Chanyeol stopped eating his ramen, eyes wide when he looked up at the Catman. The two of them were in the recording studio, writing a single for the upcoming holiday which they would release that very morning. "You want to rent Gaeko _hyung's_ pub for Valentine's Day? Didn't you just say Neullie doesn't want a fancy dinner?"

"The keyword is _pub_," Sehun corrected him with a smirk. "it isn't going to be a fancy dinner. We'll just have soju and delicious food that doesn't require wine, a fork, and a knife."

"What about flowers and chocolates?" Chanyeol questioned.

"I have a better idea," he said. "I'll serenade her. She said I should be myself and I am an artist. I'll sing a song about my feelings. No chocolate or flowers needed."

"Guess Neullie is very adamant on not having the typical Valentine's Day," the older male said as he placed his cup of ramen to the side.

"Does she not like it?" Sehun tilted his head curiously, his eyes growing bigger, and Chanyeol nodded.

"She doesn't. Valentine's Day is the day she broke up with Ilsung," The silver-haired male frowned. "I guess she doesn't want to remember a day like that, but she has you now, so maybe you can make it better. Make it a day where she doesn't remember him at all."

Sehun pursed his lips. He didn't know such a holiday full of love was when Haneul's previous relationship ended. It made sense to him now why she spoke differently than other girls. Men were lining up to get pastries, gifts, and flowers for their girlfriends, and she simply wanted assurance that her boyfriend will love her everyday without making such grand gestures. "No wonder her answer was so different..."

"Are you still going to go through with it?" Chanyeol inquired.

Sehun was silent for a moment, but in the end, he gave a nod. He wanted Valentine's Day to be a special day for Haneul. He would help her forget about the pain Ilsung inflicted upon her and show her how much he loved her. He owed her that much after she took care of him and she didn't have to.

"Neullie is my favorite person in the whole world," he said. "I'm going to make her happy on that day."

♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎♥︎

"Happy Valentine's Day, _Halmeoni_," Haneul spoke into the phone as she left Loey Music.

"Happy Valentine's Day," she replied. "Now tell me, are you and that sweet Catman doing something special today?"

"Nope," the brunette said as she continued down the sidewalk, ready to meet up with Sehun at Gaeko's pub for some meat and soju. "No special Valentine's Day, I'm afraid. You how much I don't like it..."

"Still, Neullie," she could almost see the old women's frown. "I understand you've been hurt in the past but you have a new relationship and someone who loves and wants you. You should let him show that to you today."

"He will," she assured him with a laugh. "Actually, I told Sehun to just love me the way he loves me everyday. I don't need anything special from him. I just ask that he is faithful to me, that's all..."

"Ah, when did my little granddaughter become so mature?" Soonbok chuckled. "Sometimes you make me seem childish."

"_Halmeoni_, you are not childish," Haneul protested playfully.

"Tell that time the girl who dismissed Valentine's Day as an irrelevant holiday," she broke into giggles, and Haneul laughed with her, her eyes on Gaeko's pub up ahead. However, she noticed there weren't any customers inside. The interior was dark except for the low purple lights.

"Gotta go, _Halmeoni_. I'll talk to you soon," she said.

"I bet ten won that Sehun is going to surprise you," Soonbok said quickly and her granddaughter grumbled teasingly.

"How can you place bets on my boyfriend?" And the two of then laughed again before hanging up, and Haneul was ready to enter the empty pub.

Inside, Sehun was waiting on the stage where the mic was turned on. He was dressed in a vertical black and white striped button down shirt under a red blazer with black lapels and ripped skinny jeans, his long hair matted. His heart was racing as he inspected the pub. The lights were a low, soft purple with small red lights lining the walls. The table to the side had soju, tteokbokki, kimchi stew, and other regular delicious foods for them to eat. Once Haneul entered, he would serenade her the song he had been writing for the past few days.

Chanyeøl was hiding in the back, wearing a denim button down and dark jeans, his glasses resting on his face and his silver-haired slicked. He had helped Sehun with decorating this establishment, and he watched intently from his hiding spot for when Haneul would come in. Behind him a shorter older male who wore a hoodie, cargo pants, and a ball cap on his head.

"_Yah_, when is she coming?" Gaeko asked, and Chanyeol gave him a shrug.

"She'll come. Just give it time," he said.

Suddenly, Sehun raised his head when he saw her coming toward the pub, smiling and laughing on the phone with who he seduced to be her grandmother, and he wasted no time turning on the music Chanyeol had composed for the song. The soft pop sound filled the pub, and when she entered, he began to sing to her.

_[Sehun]_

_It hasn't even started and you worry about the end already_

_Be troubled about "eternity" later_

_Between a man and a woman, where is friendship?_

_We're like an eraser and a pencil_

_You're drawing a line, I'm busy erasing it_

_You're drawing a line, I'm busy erasing it_

_Do as your heart says, I know you like me too_

_Nobody loves you like me_

_I love you, need you, want you_

_Do you like me like I love you?_

_Need you?_

Haneul's eyes widened when she entered. She walked toward the center of the empty pub, listening to Sehun's deep, soft voice as he sang. The atmosphere was romantic, but it was comfortable, familiar like him, and the song was sweet too. It wasn't something that needed to be poetic. It was sincere and described their relationship perfectly. For the longest time, they were at the borderline—every touch, every smile, ever nuzzle, every blush—and she wondered if there was truly such thing as friendship between them. Because he didn't want her to kick him out and because she was afraid to fall again, they kept their feelings hidden, and took her a while to realize she was in love with the Catman.

But when she did, it was the sweetest relief she had ever felt.

When Sehun had finished singing, he smiled down at her, his eyes turning into crescents, and he got off the stage to meet her at the floor, his mic still in hand, "Hey, Neullie..."

"Sehun," she began before looking around the pub. "You did all this?"

"I had help," he shrugged before laughing. "But you told me to be myself today, and this is me. I hope it's alright I serenaded you. I know you don't like grand gestures..."

"Are you kidding?" She grinned brightly, chocolate eyes sparkling under the purple lights. "This is the sweetest thing you've ever done for me and I loved it. Your song was very sincere."

"In that case, I think I did something right," he smirked. "Happy Valentine's Day, Neullie."

"Happy Valentine's Day, my darling Catman," Haneul replied:

At that moment, Sehun inched closer, leaning down, and she met him halfway, her eyes closing as she got on her toes. Their lips were only inches away from each other, but someone exclaimed and fell forward, giving away his hiding spot. Chanyeøl groaned and held onto his leg, which he hit against the wall as he did his little victory dance, interrupting Haneul and Sehun's intimate moments.

The couple looked to where the older male had fallen, and Gaeko stepped out with a heavy sigh, "You're hopeless, Park Chanyeol."

"_Mianhamnida!_" Chanyeol cried out when he sat up, earning him a look of disapproval from the raven-haired Catman while the brunette turned away to hide the blush on her cheeks.

And so, the night commenced and Haneul and Sehun enjoyed their delicious food and soju, even allowing Chanyeol and Gaeko to join them. The next duration of the night was spent in a tipsy stupor, and when Chanyeol was drunk, Gaeko offered to take him home, allowing the couple to have some time to themselves as they too went back to their shared place.

Sehun was carrying Haneul, who was hanging onto him like a koala, the alcohol in her system making her a bit tipsy, but at least she wasn't like Chanyeol. She had her arms around his neck, her face buried in his shoulder, inhaling the scent of sweet milk and musk that came from his skin which made her melt.

"I didn't know love was heavy," Sehun commented, their house coming into view.

At that, she pulled away to look at him, giving him a scowl, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That having someone in your life sure adds a lot of weight," he answered.

"Are you saying I'm heavy?" She pouted, and Sehun have her another one of his eye smiles, shaking his head.

"No, you're very light. It's my heart that's heavy right now," he answered.

She made a sound of realization, and he chuckled, tilting his head so he could kiss her, and finally, after the longest day, she kissed him back. It was the sweetest relief just like the first kiss they shared at the hotel in Los Angeles a few months prior. His lips were soft and tasted sweet, their movements slow, loving, and chaste, but Haneul knew that would change once they stepped through the front door of their house.

When Sehun got to the front porch, he placed her back on her feet and she fished out her keys, quickly pushing them into the lock all the while kissing him again. This time, the kiss was hot and needy, promising a night past that borderline, and when the door closed, Sehun pinned her to the wall, his lips moving along the soft column on her neck. Their Valentine's Day wasn't over yet.


End file.
